{"id":161815,"date":"2025-10-27T23:18:33","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T20:18:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161815\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"lithuanian-prosecutors-doubt-balloon-smuggling-qualifies-as-hybrid-attack","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161815\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuanian prosecutors doubt balloon smuggling qualifies as hybrid attack"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

October 27, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office has no information that the transportation of contraband Belarusian cigarettes by weather balloons represents a hybrid attack against Lithuania, Delfi<\/em> reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prosecutor General Nida Grunskien\u0117 said that around a dozen pre-trial investigations covering multiple related incidents are currently underway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian authorities are aware of the developments, said Remigijus Bridikis, director of the State Security Department. \u201cThey want to destabilize us, but it is clear that destabilization is not the only goal,” he said without elaborating further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On October 29, the Lithuanian government will discuss whether to keep the Medininkai and \u0160al\u010dininkai border crossings on the Belarus border closed for traffic. Both were closed earlier today following a meeting of the national security commission in response to an influx of cigarette-smuggling weather balloons from Belarus.<\/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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