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Lithuania was forced to close its main airport once again after suspected balloons appeared in its airspace.
Vilnius airport said earlier on Saturday it had halted operations due to the sightings, which are the latest in a series of interruptions to the nation’s air traffic in recent weeks.
The governmental National Crisis Management Centre said air traffic was restarted at 5.31pm GMT.
The airport, based in the country’s capital city, is located 30km (19 miles) from Belarus. It has been closed more than ten times since early October due to similar incidents.
Thousands were stranded earlier this week when the airport was forced to shut after sightings of several balloons.
Lithuanian aviation authorities reported the balloons appeared to be sent at regular time intervals and were directed at the runways.
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Vilnius airport has been forced to shut again after the sightings (AFP via Getty Images)
Lithuania believes the incidents are part of a calculated campaign by cigarette smugglers and an orchestrated “hybrid attack” by Belarus, a staunch ally of Russia.
In previous incidents at least 60 balloons were seen floating into Lithuanian airspace, 40 of them reaching areas critical for aviation safety.
“This is a cynical hybrid attack against our economy, aviation security, and the entire nation,” Taurimas Valys, Lithuania’s deputy minister of foreign affairs, said of the incident at the time.
Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russia’s Vladimir Putin, has previously said that Belarus would apologise if its involvement was established.
Tensions have continued to escalate after Lithuania closed its borders with Belarus following the repeated disruptions at its airport in October.
Minsk prevented over 1,000 Lithuanian cargo trucks from exiting Belarus in retaliation. The Lithuanian government reopened the border less than three weeks after its closure following pressure from national logistics companies.
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Lithuanian prime minister Inga Ruginienė said the border will be closed if necessary (AP)
But Lithuanian authorities have noted that the number of balloons flying in has continued to rise.
“If necessary, we will close the border, but please understand that we must coordinate every action with our strategic partners,” Lithuanian prime minister Inga Ruginienė said on Tuesday.
“We are considering the possibility of moving night flights to other airports like Kaunas,” added Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas, an adviser to the prime minister.
“We are now focusing on how to actually help people and businesses.”
Several countries, including Poland, Estonia and Romania, have reported violations of their airspace in recent weeks after accusing Russia of “hybrid warfare”.
Russia has vehemently denied the claims. Earlier this week, Mr Putin caused concern when he said Russia is “ready for war” with Europe if it wanted it, as the country’s invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth year.
