Kaunas Airport Suspended Operations Due To A Threat Posed By Balloons From Belarus

• 25.10.2026, 17:58

Signs of hot air balloons were spotted in the sky.

The Kaunas Airport announced that it had suspended operations due to a “hybrid attack against Lithuania carried out by Belarus,” according to “Pozir”.

The airport was closed from 11:37 p.m. on October 24 until 1:00 a.m. on the 25th.

“Navigation markers characteristic of balloons were detected in areas hazardous to aviation,” the statement said.

The intrusion of balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus into Lithuania in the fall and in early December 2025 led to the repeated closure of the Vilnius airport, located near the border. Nine similar incidents were recorded in 2026. Operations at Kaunas Airport were also suspended.