Cigarette-Smuggling Balloons From Belarus Shut Down Lithuania’s Main Airport
A swarm of helium balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus forced Vilnius Airport to shut down over the weekend, causing major disruption and raising fresh security concerns across Europe’s already-tense airspace. Lithuanian officials confirmed that 25 balloons drifted into the country’s skies late Saturday, with two of them flying directly over the airport.
The closure of Vilnius Airport, Lithuania’s busiest, caused chaos overnight, grounding 30 flights and affected nearly 6,000 passengers. Incoming flights were rerouted to Latvia and Poland, while some returns were canceled entirely, including a flight from Copenhagen that had to turn back. Flights resumed around 4:50 a.m. Sunday, but ripple effects are expected to continue through the week.
“Balloons with contraband cargo – cigarettes from Belarus – are nothing new,” a National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) spokesman told the BBC. At least 11 of the balloons have been recovered so far, with around 18,000 packs of black-market cigarettes on board, according to Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service. Authorities say more could still be floating or hidden.
The balloons — typically weather or meteorological balloons — are being used more frequently by smugglers because they’re cheaper and lower-profile than drones. But unlike drones, they’re difficult to control and highly vulnerable to wind, making them a risky but cost-effective method of smuggling. Last year alone, Lithuanian officials recorded 966 balloon incursions from Belarus. This year’s count is already at 544, and counting.
Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital, is only 30-40 kilometers from the Belarusian border, making it a frequent target for airspace violations. In response, Lithuania previously declared a 90 km no-fly zone near the Belarusian border, especially after Russian-made drones crossed into its territory earlier this year.
Despite the chaos, officials emphasized that these incidents are not considered military provocations — at least not yet. “Both smuggling balloons and drones are criminal activities, but not as provocations or acts of sabotage,” said NCMC spokesperson Darius Buta. Still, the balloon incident adds to growing European anxiety around airspace security, especially as tensions with Russia and Belarus remain high. Just last month, drone incursions disrupted airports in Denmark, Germany, and Norway.
With NATO on alert and Lithuania reinforcing its defenses, even simple acts like cigarette smuggling are now brushing up against broader security concerns. “Our services’ aim is to seize the largest possible quantities of contraband and to detain organisers and perpetrators so that this activity is unprofitable and does not pose a risk to civil aviation,” the NCMC said.
The message is clear: whether it’s drones or balloons, anything entering Lithuanian airspace without permission — even if it's carrying cigarettes — won’t be taken lightly.
