Lithuania Battles Airborne Smuggling: How Belarusian Cigarette-Carrying Balloons Are Disrupting Baltic Airspace

Oct 26, 2025 09:48 pm CST

Lithuania faces repeated airport disruptions due to cigarette-smuggling balloons from Belarus, leading to flight cancellations and temporary border closures. As the Baltic nation considers stronger countermeasures, these incidents highlight growing security challenges on NATO's eastern flank.