Airspace over Lithuania’s Vilnius International Airport has been repeatedly disrupted in recent weeks,with authorities attributing the incidents to a deliberate campaign originating from Belarus.The latest closure, lasting over three hours Wednesday evening, is part of a pattern involving the detection of balloon-borne navigational markers, prompting concerns over aviation safety and regional stability. lithuanian officials are characterizing thes events as a form of hybrid warfare,raising the stakes in an ongoing dispute with the neighboring country and impacting both commercial and passenger travel.
Vilnius International Airport temporarily suspended operations for over three hours this week due to what authorities are calling a “hybrid attack” originating from Belarus. The disruptions, which began at 7:36 PM local time on Wednesday and lasted until 10:30 PM, are the latest in a series of incidents impacting air travel in the region and highlight escalating tensions between Lithuania and its neighbor.
According to the National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC), the airport closures were prompted by the detection of navigational markers consistent with balloons. This follows a pattern of similar occurrences over the past two months.
“All responsibility for the disruption of aviation and other damage caused to the residents of Lithuania, airline passengers and the country’s business lies exclusively with the Lukashenko regime,” the NCMC stated.
Between October and November, airspace above Vilnius Airport was restricted 13 times due to these detected markers. Kaunas Airport experienced a single, similar restriction during the same period. In total, nearly 320 flights – impacting more than 45,000 passengers – were affected, representing approximately 5% of all passengers served by Vilnius Airport over those two months.
Lithuanian officials say the incidents involve contraband balloons originating from Belarus. Last week, Vilnius Airport was forced to halt operations multiple times as a result of an intense wave of these balloon incursions.
In late October, the Lithuanian government briefly closed its border with Belarus in response to the ongoing disruptions. The border was reopened sooner than planned to address the situation of Belarusian carriers stranded in Lithuania, though authorities say those drivers have been prevented from returning to Lithuania by the Belarusian regime.
The situation has been discussed at multiple levels, including within Lithuania’s National Security Commission and in international forums, as policymakers view the incidents as a form of hybrid warfare. The disruptions underscore the challenges Lithuania faces in safeguarding its airspace and critical infrastructure amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
