Lithuania declares emergency situation over risks from balloons from Belarus

Lithuania has taken drastic measures to counter a perceived threat from neighboring Belarus, declaring an "emergency situation" over the incursion of weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes into its airspace. The move comes after nearly 600 balloons linked to smuggling were detected this year alone, forcing the closure of Vilnius airport for more than 60 hours and disrupting air travel.

The government's decision is a step below a state of emergency, which was last imposed in 2022 following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It grants the armed forces additional powers to respond quickly and effectively. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has condemned the balloon incursions as a "hybrid attack" by Belarus that poses a real risk to national security and civil aviation.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko denies any involvement, calling the situation "unrealistic." However, Lithuania's president Gitanas Nauseda believes there is evidence pointing to deliberate action aimed at destabilizing the situation. This kind of provocation is not new for Belarus, which has a history of tensions with neighboring countries.

The European Union and NATO have also taken notice of Russia's hybrid warfare tactics, including sabotage, disruption of critical infrastructure, and drone flights near sensitive sites. The Western military alliance is considering a more aggressive stance to counter this threat.

As the situation remains tense, Lithuania is taking steps to protect its aviation security and international law. The government has closed two border checkpoints with Belarus for three weeks from the end of October, and hundreds of Lithuanian vehicles are still stranded there due to blocked roads.

I mean like come on, 600 weather balloons with smuggled cigarettes just shows how desperate Belarus is trying to stir up trouble! It's not even like they're trying to hide it, they're literally flying them right into Lithuania's airspace like "oh look, I'll just casually send in some contraband and hope nobody notices". And then the government is all like "we need a state of emergency" because apparently they can't handle a few balloons with cigarettes on them . It's not like it's the end of the world or anything, but seriously what's next? Are we gonna have to declare war on a bunch of lost pigeons or something? And I know Belarus is trying to play dumb about this, but let's be real, if they didn't do anything wrong then why are Lithuania and the EU all up in arms about it? It just feels like another example of Belarus trying to flex its muscles and see how far it can push things before someone gets their feathers ruffled.

OMG , this is getting serious! Like, who knew weather balloons could be used for smuggling? And now Lithuania's got an "emergency situation" declared over it? That's some crazy stuff right there. I feel bad for the people stuck at the border checkpoints with Belarus, like, their cars are just sitting there .

But seriously, this is a big deal because Russia (I'm not saying they're involved, but... ) has been using these hybrid attacks before, and it's getting pretty clear that they're not taking this stuff lightly. NATO's got its ears perked up about this too, so I'm guessing we'll see some major changes soon .

It's just crazy how unpredictable things can get in our world right now . One minute you're checking the weather forecast, and the next... who knows? Anyways, just keeping an eye on this situation .

The whole thing seems pretty intense . I mean, 600 balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes? That's like, a serious breach of airspace security ️. It's no wonder the government is declaring an emergency situation – it's like they're saying "enough is enough!" . But at the same time, Belarus isn't denying any involvement and their president is basically saying it's all just a big misunderstanding . I guess we'll have to wait for more info on that one... Meanwhile, I'm curious – do you think this is just a case of a neighborly rivalry or is there something more sinister at play?

"The biggest danger to our democracy is... apathy." People need to be vigilant about what's going on around them. Lithuania's move to counter the weather balloon smuggling might seem drastic, but it shows that they're taking their national security seriously. The EU and NATO should also consider a more united front against these "hybrid warfare" tactics. We can't let our guard down just because it's not a traditional enemy.

I don't get why Belarus is so bent on smuggling in those balloons ? Like, cigarettes aren't that valuable or hard to find elsewhere... Is it just a prank gone wrong or something more sinister at play? Lithuania's taking a tough stance, and I get it - national security and all that . But can't we find a way to resolve this without, like, declaring an "emergency situation"? Belarus says they're not involved, but Gitanas Nauseda seems pretty sure of his evidence . What's really going on here? Should the EU/NATO take a more aggressive stance against Russia's hybrid warfare tactics? I'm just curious...

omg, this weather balloon thingy is getting outta hand... like, who smuggles cigarettes into a country via weather balloons?! but seriously, belarus is being super shady here. i mean, the eu and nato are all about countering russian hybrid warfare tactics, but this feels like a whole new level of sneaky . lithuania's got every right to be concerned about its aviation security and international law, tho. 60 hours at vilnius airport is a huge disruption . can't wait to see how this drama unfolds

What's up with these weather balloons ? Smuggling cigarettes is one thing, but come on, it's Lithuania we're talking about! They're taking it super seriously though . I get it, national security and all that, but can't they just let it slide a bit? It's not like Belarus is trying to start a war or something . And what's with the EU and NATO getting involved? Can't they just chill for a sec and let Lithuania sort its own problems out?

I'm kinda weirded out by this whole balloon smuggling thing . Like, who smuggles cigarettes using weather balloons? It's not like it's a new tactic or anything... Belarus has been causing trouble with neighboring countries for years, and now Lithuania is getting all worked up about some balloons? I get that air travel disruption was a big deal, but 60+ hours to close the airport? That's excessive . And what's next? Weather balloons carrying other contraband? NATO needs to focus on actual threats rather than getting its feathers ruffled over this

man I was just thinking about that weird dream I had last night where I was flying on a balloon and it took me to this crazy random place like Tokyo or something anyway back to these balloons in Lithuania they should really check if they're carrying Pokémon cards or something because that's what I'm thinking of collecting now

"The die is cast" - it seems like tensions between Lithuania and Belarus are escalating rapidly. It's not just about weather balloons, it's a whole thing now... The EU and NATO need to take action before things get out of hand

I'm getting a bit worried about this whole balloon thing . I mean, 600 balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes is a lot, but an "emergency situation" over it? It seems like Lithuania is taking things a bit too seriously . Don't get me wrong, national security is important, but can't they just talk to Belarus about the issue instead of declaring an emergency?

And what's with all these hybrid attacks and sabotage claims? It sounds like a real game of cat and mouse between Lithuania and Belarus . I'm sure it's not ideal for international relations, but maybe we can find a way to resolve this without escalating the situation further .

I do hope the EU and NATO take this seriously, though . Russia's tactics are definitely concerning, and we need to be prepared for anything. But let's not jump to conclusions just yet – more information is needed before we can say for sure what's going on .

Anyway, I'm keeping an eye on this situation . Fingers crossed that it gets resolved peacefully .

Ugh, this is getting outta hand! They declare emergency situation over balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes... like what's next? Declare war on pigeons or something?! It's a total overreaction. What's the real threat here? Are we gonna get blown up by a bunch of rogue balloons? And btw, why do they even have to close the airport for 60 hours? Can't they just give people a heads up like "Hey, flight delayed due to balloon-gate"? The government's gotta step it up and find some real security threats to worry about... not this baloney

This whole thing is getting outta hand... I mean, come on, weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes? It's a bit much. But seriously, you gotta give credit to Lithuania for taking action. Declaring an emergency situation is a big deal, and it shows they're not messing around.

The EU and NATO need to step up their game too. This hybrid warfare thing is becoming way too common. I'm all for countering threats, but we can't just sit back and wait for things to escalate. We need a more coordinated effort from our allies.

I'm also kinda curious about Belarus' denial of involvement. Lukashenko's not one to mince words, so if he's saying it's "unrealistic", that implies there might be some truth to it. Gitanas Nauseda makes some good points too - the history of tensions between Lithuania and Belarus is no secret.

One thing that's got me worried is how this is going to affect air travel. The closure of Vilnius airport was already a huge headache, and if things keep escalating like this... ️

Ugh , this is getting out of hand!!! I mean, who does Belarus think they're playing at here? Sending weather balloons filled with smuggled goods into Lithuania's airspace? It's just ridiculous! And now the EU and NATO are taking notice too? This is exactly what I was saying - we need to be more proactive in countering these "hybrid warfare" tactics. We can't just sit back and wait for our neighbors to start causing trouble.

And what's with all this tension between Lithuania and Belarus? It feels like they're just trying to stir up drama for attention . I'm worried about the impact on air travel too - 60 hours without flying into Vilnius airport? That's a disaster! What if it gets worse? Shouldn't we be working towards finding a peaceful solution here?

I'm getting a bit worried about all this Baltic drama . I mean, weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes? That's just ridiculous! It's like they're trying to distract us from the real issues. I've lived in Europe for years and never seen anything like this. You'd think it was some kind of prank war between Lithuania and Belarus .

As a retiree, I'm all about preserving what's important – our security, our way of life, and our international relations . It's reassuring to see the EU and NATO keeping an eye on things . We need to stay vigilant and not let these tensions escalate into something bigger.

I do wonder, though, why it's taken Lithuania so long to take action . I know they've had issues with Belarus in the past, but this feels like a new level of concern . Guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out .

omg u guys i just saw this news about lithuania and it's like totally crazy they're declaring an emergency situation over some weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes lol what even is that? but seriously it's kinda serious when you think about it - 600 balloons already this year and now the govt is stepping in like this. i feel bad for all those ppl stranded at the border tho & btw did u know belarus has a history of being shady with its neighbors? anyway, it's all good im just gonna stay here on my couch eating some legit cigarettes lol

Aww, I feel like you'd be so stressed if you were in Lithuania right now . Those weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes sound so suspicious! But at the same time, I get why they're taking this super seriously - safety first, right? It's not just about the cigarettes, but also about national security and civil aviation. The government needs to do what it thinks is best for their country, even if it does feel a bit extreme . On one hand, I'm worried about Belarus' involvement, but on the other hand, Lithuania can't let things slide either . This whole situation just feels so tense and uncertain... hoping everything gets resolved soon

I'm getting a bad vibe from this whole situation . Like, who's really behind these weather balloon smugglers? Belarus is playing dumb, but I'm not buying it . This is some serious security breach stuff that can't be just brushed off as "unrealistic" or whatever Lukashenko says . And what about the EU and NATO's involvement? Are they gonna take a stand against Belarus' hybrid warfare tactics? I think it's time for them to beef up their game plan . This isn't just about cigarettes, it's about geopolitics and national security . We need more transparency here .

Can you believe this? Like, weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes? It's not even a big deal, just some dodgy traders trying to make a quick buck. But no, Lithuania is totally on high alert now. I'm surprised they didn't declare a state of emergency yet. This whole thing feels like a bit of overkill, if you ask me. And then there's the EU and NATO getting involved, like they're just waiting for Belarus to do something more 'substantial' so they can swoop in with their military might. It's all just a bit too much drama for my taste . The EU should really focus on cracking down on the smugglers themselves instead of making a big fuss over this weather balloon nonsense