Lithuania declares nationwide emergency situation over Belarus balloon incursions

Key facts

• Lithuanian government declared a 'nationwide emergency situation' in response to incursions from Belarus by weather balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes.
• Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene condemned the balloon incursions as a 'hybrid attack' by Belarus that posed a real risk to national security and civil aviation.
• About 600 balloons linked to smuggling and almost 200 drones have entered Lithuanian airspace this year alone, leading to repeated closure of Vilnius airport.
• Lithuania's president Gitanas Nauseda said there is a lot of evidence that the balloon threat is a 'deliberate action aimed at destabilising the situation in Lithuania'.
• Lithuania closed two border checkpoints with Belarus for three weeks from the end of October in response to the latest threat.
• Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko denies being behind the incursions, alleging the issue has been 'politicised' by Lithuania.
• Lithuania's interior ministry says the balloons have led to Vilnius airport being closed for more than 60 hours since October, affecting 30,000 passengers in October alone.
• Finnish airline Finnair has cancelled all evening flights to Vilnius until the end of February because of the balloons.