Wedding Balloon from Berlin Lands in Białowieża Forest After 900-Kilometer Journey
Forestry workers in the Białowieża Forest discovered a red wedding balloon bearing a German note that traveled nearly 900 kilometers from Berlin, contrasting with recent smuggling balloons from...
Forestry workers in the Białowieża Forest discovered a red wedding balloon bearing a German note that traveled nearly 900 kilometers from Berlin, contrasting with recent smuggling balloons from Belarus.
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Discovery in the Białowieża Forest
Foresters from Olchówka were conducting routine patrols in the Białowieża Forest when they spotted a red object stuck high in the branches of a tree, which turned out to be a red balloon.
Balloon Reaches Poland from Germany
The Browsk Forestry District in Gruszki reported on Monday, August 10, that upon retrieval, a carefully secured note with the short German inscription “Alles Gute zur Hochzeit” (Happy Wedding Anniversary) was tied to the string.
Foresters determined that the balloon was released by wedding guests in Berlin and carried by the wind for nearly 900 kilometers until it reached the Białowieża Forest, with the forestry office mailing the note back to the return address provided.
Smuggling Balloons from Belarus
The discovery in the Białowieża Forest drew particular attention because Polish borders have been crossed this year primarily by smuggling balloons, three of which were found on May 1 in Iwkowa, Brzesko County, containing cigarettes without Polish excise tax stamps, according to police officer Ewelina Buda.
The Border Guard reported that cigarette-carrying balloons flew into Poland from the direction of Belarus, leading to the detention of two Belarusian citizens in late January, who face at least three years in prison after the District Prosecutor’s Office in Hajnówka charged them under fiscal penal law and anti-aggression acts.
Border Guard Statement on Hybrid Activities
The Border Guard stated in January that the current situation is part of broader hybrid operations aimed at testing systems and causing public anxiety, while emphasizing that Polish services are prepared for such provocations and guarantee state security through border personnel and airspace surveillance.
