Vilnius Airport Closed Again Because Of Suspicious Balloons From Belarus

• 15.03.2026, 11:55

The objects appeared in Lithuanian airspace tonight.

The airspace over Vilnius airport was temporarily closed due to objects resembling meteosondes with contraband. This is reported by the Lithuanian media.

According to Delfi, the restrictions were in effect from 22:46 to 00:35 Belarusian time. The reason was navigation markings recorded in the sky, similar to weather probes, which can be used to transfer contraband.

The reports note that the incident is seen as a possible element of hybrid actions on the part of the Belarusian regime.

It later became known, Delfi notes, that already after 23:00 Belarusian time flights to Vilnius gradually resumed and the airspace was reopened.

Since the beginning of 2026, Lithuania has already intercepted 45 meteoprobes carrying cigarettes that arrived from Belarus. 29 of them were recorded in January and 16 in the two weeks of February. The total value of these cigarettes amounted to about 540 thousand euros. 22 people connected with air smuggling of cigarettes were detained.

In 2025, border guards detained 171 people suspected of involvement in smuggling. Also last year, they intercepted 635 shipments of cigarettes being transferred by balloons into Lithuania.