Lithuania's government on Tuesday declared a national emergency over security risks posed by meteorological balloons sent from Russia-allied Belarus that have violated its airspace in recent weeks, while the Belarusian leader called for negotiations on border tensions and said his country "does not need war." The balloons forced Lithuania to repeatedly shut down its main airport, stranding thousands of people, as Europe remains on alert over previous intrusions into NATO airspace during the war in Ukraine, the AP reports. "In combating the Belarusian hybrid attack, we must take the strictest measures and defend the areas most affected by this attack," Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said.
The announcement followed a Cabinet meeting of the Baltic state, which is a NATO member and strong backer of Ukraine in its fight against Russian forces who launched a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The national emergency means the army will be able to patrol the border area together with other uniformed services and receive extra rights from parliament, such as to conduct searches or detain people. The government said the impact on civilians would be limited.
While the balloons are used to smuggle cigarettes into Lithuania, officials in Vilnius see their numbers and trajectories as deliberate acts of disruption orchestrated by Belarus. According to the Lithuanian government, the Vilnius international airport has been closed for more than 60 hours since October due to the threat posed to civil aviation, affecting over 350 flights and approximately 51,000 passengers. Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic said Lithuanian prosecutors launched an investigation into the balloons and the secret services would provide information about the connection with the Minsk regime. (Much more here.)
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