Balloon Intrusions: Vilnius Airport Temporarily Closed

Vilnius Airport in Lithuania halted operations due to balloons moving into its airspace, resulting in incoming flights being diverted. The closure, occurring nine times since October, is linked to contraband-carrying weather balloons from Belarus, viewed as a 'hybrid attack' by Lithuanian officials.

Operations at Vilnius Airport were temporarily suspended on Sunday as balloons reportedly drifted into its airspace, causing incoming flights to be redirected to alternative destinations.

The airport announced a reopening time of 1.30 am local time (2330 GMT) after addressing the airspace intrusion. This event marks the ninth closure of the airport since October, with European aviation frequently disrupted by similar incidents involving drones.

Lithuania attributes the balloon disruptions to contraband cigarette smuggling operations originating from Belarus, which Lithuanian authorities criticize as a 'hybrid attack' facilitated by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. In response, Lithuania briefly closed border crossing points with Belarus, now reopened following a pause in these balloon-related interruptions.

(With inputs from agencies.)