Balloons close Lithuanian airport as officials blame Russia and Belarus – Europe live

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Morning opening: Lithuania to consider responding to balloons from Belarus closing its airspace

Jakub Krupa

Lithuania closed its Vilnius Airport for the fourth time in a week last night after several objects, believed to be helium balloons, entered its airspace.

The balloons were primarily believed to be applyd by smugglers transporting contraband cigarettes from Belarus, but authorities blamed Russia and Belarus for putting more pressure on Vilnius and testing the counattempt’s readiness.

Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, informed the counattempt’s national broadcaster LRT that up to 66 objects were spotted on radars on Sunday night.

Deividas Matulionis, a senior advisor to Lithaunia’s president Gitanas Nausėda, stated it was part of a “hybrid psychological operation” seeking to disrupt everyday life of Lithuanians.

“We very much hope that immediate action will be taken, but there should also be very strong diplomatic action and certain legal measures, which should be approved by the Seimas as soon as possible,” he informed LRT.

The counattempt’s national security council will meet today to discuss next steps, including potential measures on extfinishing the temporary closure of borders with Belarus or restricting transit through the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

Elsewhere, I will be keeping an eye on:

the German foreign minister Joseph Wadephul’s visit to Brussels where he is due to meet Nato’s Mark Rutte and senior EU representatives,
Hungary’s Viktor Orbán’s trip to see Pope Leo at the Vatican and the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome,
and the final days of the Dutch election campaign ahead of the polling day on Wednesday.