Vilnius Airport, Lithuania’s primary aviation hub, has found itself at the epicenter of mounting geopolitical tensions and repeated operational chaos in recent months, as a wave of contraband-carrying balloons launched from neighboring Belarus continues to disrupt flights and strand thousands of travelers. The situation, which Lithuanian and European officials now describe as a deliberate hybrid attack, has inflicted financial, logistical, and diplomatic damage—leaving the country scrambling for both immediate fixes and long-term solutions.
According to Lithuanian Airports (LTOU), the scale of the disruption has been staggering. In October and November 2025 alone, airspace above Vilnius Airport (VNO) was closed 13 times due to balloons drifting in from Belarus, with a particularly prolonged shutdown occurring between late November 30 and early December 1. These closures, which also affected Kaunas Airport (KUN), have cost the airport operator more than €750,000 in just two months. About 5% of all passengers using Lithuanian airports during this period were directly impacted, as authorities halted flights whenever the balloons—often laden with smuggled goods—crossed into Lithuanian territory (Travel Radar).
The most serious incident unfolded on the Saturday night before December 2, when operations at Vilnius Airport were suspended for 11 hours. Lithuanian officials reported that at least 60 balloons were launched from the Belarusian woods, with 40 drifting into areas critical for aviation safety. These balloons, typically released at night to take advantage of favorable wind conditions, appeared to be sent at regular intervals and aimed directly at airport runways—a pattern that Lithuanian authorities interpret as a calculated campaign of disruption (Devdiscourse, CNN).
"This is a cynical hybrid attack against our economy, aviation security, and the entire nation," declared Taurimas Valys, Lithuania’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, in response to the escalating crisis (Devdiscourse). The sentiment was echoed at the highest levels of the European Union: on December 1, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the incursions as a "hybrid attack" orchestrated by the Lukashenko regime, following a conversation with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. Von der Leyen warned, "Such hybrid attack by the Lukashenko regime is completely unacceptable. We are preparing further measures under our sanctions regime" (CNN).
The diplomatic fallout has been swift and severe. The EU’s diplomatic service summoned the Belarusian Chargé d’Affaires to deliver a formal protest note regarding what it termed "hybrid actions emanating from the Belarusian territory." Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys accused Belarus of "deliberately targeting" the airport, noting that over 7,400 passengers and 50 flights were affected during a single night of balloon incursions (CNN).
Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko, for his part, has offered little in the way of contrition. He acknowledged that border guards observe the balloon launches but dismissed international outcry, stating, "So what? You imposed sanctions against us, you are strangling us" (Travel Radar). In a further twist, Minsk has accused Lithuania of sending a drone into Belarusian airspace for espionage and the delivery of "extremist materials," summoning Lithuania’s chargé d’affaires and demanding an investigation. "The Republic of Belarus reserves the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and security, based on the current situation," the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said (Devdiscourse).
Amid the tit-for-tat accusations, Lithuania’s own response has been complicated by domestic pressures. In October 2025, the government closed its borders with Belarus after repeated balloon disruptions at Vilnius Airport. However, the closure was reversed in less than three weeks following intense lobbying from freight and logistics companies, leaving over 1,000 Lithuanian cargo trucks stranded in Belarus. Since then, the number of balloons entering Lithuanian airspace has only increased, prompting Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė to warn, "If necessary, we will close the border, but please understand that we must coordinate every action with our strategic partners" (Devdiscourse, Travel Radar).
The mounting chaos hasn’t been limited to balloon incidents. On November 26, a LOT Polish Airlines Embraer E170 slid off the runway at Vilnius Airport while taxiing, causing yet another lengthy shutdown. Balloon-related ground stops followed on November 28 and 30, with normal operations only resuming on December 1 (Travel Radar).
Faced with escalating hybrid threats and mounting financial losses, Lithuanian authorities have launched a multi-pronged response. On December 1, the Prosecutor General’s Office initiated a pre-trial investigation into potential violations of Article 118, which prohibits assisting a foreign state in actions against Lithuania—a charge that carries prison terms of up to seven years (Travel Radar).
To bolster defenses, the government has pledged 1 million euros to support projects aimed at countering the disruptions. One beneficiary, IT Logika, is developing an Intelligent Airspace Security System (IOEAS) capable of detecting and identifying targets around the clock, as well as a high-power laser designed to safely shoot down multiple balloons during a single flight. The system will use artificial intelligence for trajectory prediction and recognition, drawing on real-time data from drone base stations, radars, and other geographically distributed sensors (Devdiscourse).
Other planned measures include harsher punishments for activities linked to cigarette smuggling—long a motive behind the balloon launches—and changes to flight schedules. Authorities are even considering moving night flights to other airports, such as Kaunas, to minimize disruption. "We are considering the possibility of moving night flights to other airports like Kaunas," said Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas, an advisor to the prime minister. "We are now focusing on how to actually help people and businesses" (Devdiscourse).
Transport Minister Juras Taminskas confirmed that LTOU is working closely with airlines to strengthen response protocols and ensure Kaunas Airport can accommodate diverted flights, including providing bus transfers for displaced passengers. "We just cannot let ourselves do nothing and constantly close down the airport," Taminskas emphasized (Travel Radar).
The crisis in Lithuania is unfolding against a broader backdrop of European security concerns. The continent has been on high alert in recent months after multiple incursions by drones and aircraft into NATO airspace, including a September incident in which Russian drones entered Polish territory, prompting a military response from several NATO countries. The military alliance has since increased its presence in Eastern Europe, with member states like Romania and Estonia also reporting airspace violations (CNN).
As the standoff between Lithuania and Belarus intensifies, the stakes extend far beyond the tarmac at Vilnius Airport. The disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in European airspace security, strained regional supply chains, and tested the resolve of both national and EU leaders. With hybrid threats on the rise and diplomatic channels fraying, the coming months will determine whether Lithuania’s efforts to safeguard its skies can restore a sense of normalcy—or if the balloon crisis is just the beginning of a new era of cross-border confrontation.