{"id":161643,"date":"2025-10-26T16:08:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-26T13:08:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161643\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"nauseda-calls-to-restrict-kaliningrad-transit-after-belarus-airspace-violations","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161643\/","title":{"rendered":"Naus\u0117da suggests restricting Kaliningrad transit after Belarus airspace violations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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October 26, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da has proposed a long-term closure of the shared border with Belarus along with restrictions on transit to Russia\u2019s exclave of Kaliningrad over a mass influx of cigarette-smuggling balloons from Belarus, Delfi<\/em> reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this week, Deividas Matulionis, Naus\u0117da\u2019s chief national security advisor, said Vilnius was ready to close its border with Belarus for an extended period if the launches of unauthorized weather balloons from Belarus continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last night, Lithuania closed its airspace and checkpoints at the border with Belarus for several hours over the third incursion of weather balloons in one week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government will come up with response measures in the coming days, Elta<\/em> reported, citing Naus\u0117da\u2019s administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weather balloons are launched from the Belarusian side and constitute a hybrid attack against Lithuania, it noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 28, Naus\u0117da plans to hold an interdepartmental meeting on incidents involving weather balloons launched from Belarus. On the same day, the National Security Commission is expected to work out specific steps to stop these incursions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, only the Medininkai and \u0160al\u010dininkai border crossings handle all cross-border traffic between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania closed \u0160umskas and Tvere\u010dius checkpoints at the shared border with Belarus in 2023 and Lavori\u0161k\u0117s and Raigardas in 2024, citing national security and smuggling among the reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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