Weather Balloons from Belarus Disrupt Flights

Air traffic at two Lithuanian airports was temporarily suspended on Friday night after suspected weather balloons from Belarus entered the country’s airspace, causing flight disruptions.

Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that flight operations at Vilnius and Kaunas airports were initially halted until 10 p.m. local time (7 p.m. GMT) as a safety precaution.

The suspension was later extended for an additional four hours, resuming around 2 a.m. on Saturday.

Authorities reported that the objects, believed to be weather balloons launched from neighboring Belarus, were detected late Friday, prompting immediate safety measures to prevent potential risks to civilian aircraft.

Flight schedules were adjusted overnight, and air traffic resumed gradually after aviation safety officials confirmed that the airspace was clear.