Lithuania Declares State of Emergency Over Balloon Incursions Blamed on Belarus

The declaration comes after months of increased sightings of weather balloons used to smuggle contraband such as cigarettes across the border from Belarus.

An officer inspects a balloon used to carry cigarettes into Lithuania, because Belarusian smugglers often use them to ferry the contraband into the European Union, in an unspecified location and undated photo. State Border Guard Service via AP

Lithuania declared a state-level emergency on Dec. 9 due to “hybrid attacks” comprising weather balloons used to smuggle contraband across the border from neighboring Belarus, a close ally of Russia.

The Ministry of the Interior of Lithuania said in a statement that the nationwide state of emergency will control the threat posed to civil aviation and national security interests.