Lithuania's Balloon Trouble: A New Kind of Border Problem

Lithuania is in a bit of a pickle. The country has had to declare a nationwide emergency situation. Why? Because of balloons. Not just any balloons, though. These are weather balloons coming from Belarus, carrying smuggled cigarettes. It might sound silly, but it's causing some serious headaches. The Lithuanian government says these balloons are a real threat. They're not just about smuggling. They're seen as a "hybrid attack" by Belarus. This means it's a mix of different tactics to cause trouble. The balloons can fly up to 10km high. That's enough to mess with air traffic and put people at risk. Since the start of the year, about 600 of these balloons have entered Lithuanian airspace. That's a lot! They've led to the repeated closure of Vilnius airport. Imagine planning a trip and then finding out your flight is cancelled because of a balloon. Not cool. Belarus's leader, Alexander Lukashenko, says he's not behind this. He thinks Lithuania is making a big deal out of nothing. But Lithuania isn't buying it. They think it's a deliberate move to cause chaos. And they're not alone. Other European countries have faced similar threats from Russia. This isn't the first time Lithuania has had trouble with Belarus. A few years ago, thousands of migrants crossed the border. Now, it's balloons and drones. Lithuania has even closed two border checkpoints with Belarus. In response, Belarus has barred Lithuanian trucks from driving on its roads. Hundreds of vehicles are now stranded. The balloons have caused more than 60 hours of airport closures since October. That's a lot of disrupted flights and frustrated passengers. The Lithuanian prime minister has even said these actions could be seen as terrorism. That's a strong statement. Lukashenko, meanwhile, says the balloons are no big deal. He even talked to pilots who say the balloons aren't a problem. But Lithuania isn't convinced. They're taking this seriously and have granted the armed forces additional powers to respond.