Belarusian Balloons Shut Vilnius Airport, Strand 1,700

Lithuania has issued a formal protest to Belarus after its main international airport was forced to close three times in a single night. The cause: unauthorized balloons, suspected of smuggling contraband, drifting into its airspace from Belarus. The incursions on Tuesday night stranded approximately 1,700 passengers at Vilnius Airport, the country's busiest. Officials called it the most serious such incident this year. The disruptions occurred despite a recent pledge from Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenka to a U.S. envoy. He had promised to halt the launch of these "smuggling balloons," which often carry illegal cigarettes and other goods across the border. Lithuanian air traffic controllers were compelled to halt all flights for safety reasons each time a balloon was detected. The repeated closures caused significant travel chaos and delays. The Lithuanian foreign ministry stated the protest demands that Belarus take immediate action to prevent any further violations of its airspace.