{"id":161787,"date":"2025-10-27T17:52:52","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T14:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161787\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"belarus-top-diplomat-slams-lithuanian-border-closure-as-provocation","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161787\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus\u2019 top diplomat slams Lithuanian border closure as provocation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n\n Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d \n <\/div>\n \n
\n (mfa.gov.by)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 27, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ry\u017eanko\u016d has accused Vilnius of provocations against Belarus after Lithuania closed the border over frequent incursions of cigarette-smuggling balloons from Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf someone needs to find a reason to justify their actions against Belarus, against Russia and ultimately against their own citizens with this rhetoric, then they will look for such reasons,\u201d the official has told the state-run news.by<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The official made this statement after Lithuania announced the closure of the \u0160al\u010dininkai and Medininkai border crossings on the shared border with Belarus for an indefinite period, with some exceptions allowed in Medininkai.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move was designed in response to an influx of cigarette-smuggling weather balloons from Belarus, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginien\u0117 said earlier today following a meeting of the national security commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ry\u017eanko\u016d claimed that Vilnius was seeking to justify its anti-Belarusian and anti-Russian measures by creating a negative image of Belarus meant to convince Lithuanians that the situation was so tense they should seek bomb shelters, stock up on food and support the government\u2019s actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBalloons carrying smuggled cigarettes have been flying around for years,\u201d he said, suggesting that Lithuanian authorities should tackle smuggling gangs operating on their own territory. The diplomat also claimed that Vilnius had not sent any official notes of protest to Minsk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions over cigarette-smuggling balloons launched from Belarus have been mounting since October 22, forcing Lithuanian authorities to briefly close the border on several occasions and suspend operations at Vilnius Airport, located close to the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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