On Sunday, October 26, Lithuanian authorities shut Vilnius Airport after detecting balloon‑laden contraband from Belarus, canceling 13 flights, diverting 14, and delaying 20.
Closed Vilnius Airport
At 21:42 on Sunday, Lithuanian authorities closed the airspace over Vilnius Airport after spotting balloons carrying contraband arriving from Belarus. The closure forced 13 flights to be cancelled, 14 diverted to Kaunas, Riga, and Warsaw, and 20 delayed. Flights were redirected to the aforementioned airports, and operational activity resumed at 04:30.
Fourth Incident in a Week
Over the previous week, Lithuanian aviation suffered four disruptions, with over 100 flights and several thousand passengers affected. Earlier this week, Vilnius and Kaunas airports were also shut for several hours due to balloon contraband. The government applied temporary border controls at Międniki and Soleczniki, and a session of the National Security Committee is scheduled to discuss a possible prolonged closure of the Belarusian border.
Closed Airports in Moscow
That night, Russia’s Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports were also closed for safety reasons following Ukrainian drone strikes. Russian air defence reportedly destroyed at least 34 drones heading toward Moscow. In the Moscow region, a Ukrainian drone struck a minibus, killing the driver and injuring five passengers, while no fatalities were reported within the city itself.