Lithuania shuts airports and Belarus border after weather balloon incursion
Helium balloons entering from Belarus forced airport and border closures in Lithuania, prompted security measures against cigarette smuggling, and increased NATO air responses amid regional tensions.
Lithuania's main airport shut after balloon sightings DW 10/21/2025
Vilnius Airport operations were suspended after dozens of balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from Belarus entered its airspace, repeating an earlier October incident.