Situation with weather balloons in Lithuania
Lithuania is summoning the national security commission to discuss the situation with weather balloons launched from Belarusian territory. The meeting will take place on Wednesday, and the main topic will not only be the launch of these balloons but also the safety of maritime and transport infrastructure.
According to reports, in 2025, 635 shipments of cigarettes were intercepted, which were smuggled from Belarus to Lithuania using balloons. In 2024, 226 such shipments were recorded, while in 2023, there were only a few. Meanwhile, in 2022, no shipments were recorded at all. Balloons launched from Belarus last year caused disruptions to over 300 flights, affecting 47,000 passengers. Airports were closed for nearly 60 hours in total.
Consequences and security challenges
On Christmas last year, nearly 60 weather probes from Belarus flew over Poland. Most of the smuggling was found in the Podlaskie Voivodeship, while four cases of illegal border crossing were recorded in the Lublin Voivodeship. The balloons flew at an altitude of 9,000 meters.
Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas noted that the issue of launching balloons with smuggled goods from Belarusian territory will remain on the agenda until the situation can be fully regulated.
This situation highlights the growing security challenges for Lithuania and its neighbors in the context of smuggling and airspace violations. Given past incidents involving weather balloons, Lithuania is seeking effective solutions to protect its infrastructure and prevent similar threats in the future. Discussions within the commission may become an important step in determining new strategies to respond to these challenges, especially in the context of rising tensions in the region.