{"id":166496,"date":"2025-12-02T14:45:44","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T11:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166496\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"lithuanias-interior-minister-urges-eu-action-on-belarusian-hybrid-threats","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166496\/","title":{"rendered":"Lithuania\u2019s interior minister urges EU action on Belarusian hybrid threats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pozirk)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

December 2, <\/strong>Pozirk.<\/strong> <\/em>The European Union should take immediate action in response to the recent intensification of hybrid attacks from Belarus, Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovi\u010d has said in his letter to Magnus Brunner, EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lithuanian official pointed out systematic violations of Lithuania\u2019s airspace, citing incursions of nearly 600 cigarette-smuggling weather balloons and 197 drones since January. The incidents disrupted 320 flights, affecting 47,000 passengers and causing 60 hours of airport closures, he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll of this represents yet another phase of the hybrid assault against Lithuania and the entire EU that has been ongoing since 2020,\u201d the minister stressed. \u201cIn addition, the Belarusian regime has detained approximately 1,000 Lithuanian freight trucks on its territory and is imposing unlawful fees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kondratovi\u010d urged Brunner to support new sanctions against Belarusian officials and agencies responsible for what he described as a hybrid operation. The EU also should develop a response toolkit for addressing this security challenge, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette-smuggling balloons have been rising since mid-October, 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

The Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni checkpoints at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border remained closed from October 29 until November 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk pushes for consultations between the countries\u2019 foreign ministries, while Lithuania views potential talks as an effort to break the international isolation of Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius is also reluctant to launch negotiations, as Lithuania curtailed official contacts with Minsk after what it described as the rigged 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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