Overview
- Lithuania asked parliament to authorize troops to operate with police and border guards with powers to stop, search, detain, and restrict access, with a vote expected later today.
- Prosecutors opened a case into the incursions and intelligence services will assess possible links to the Belarusian state.
- Officials report repeated airport shutdowns, with Vilnius closed for more than 60 hours since October, affecting over 350 flights and roughly 51,000 passengers.
- Lithuanian and EU figures cite hundreds of balloons entering from Belarus in 2025, with tallies ranging from about 315 since June to roughly 600 for the year.
- EU institutions are preparing to expand Belarus sanctions to target those responsible for cross‑border airspace violations, while Minsk denies involvement and President Alexander Lukashenko accuses Lithuania of exaggeration and calls for talks.