Фото: vsat.lrv.lt
The Lithuanian State Border Guard Service (SBGS) also reported that inspections and the passage of people and vehicles have resumed at the Medininkai and Šalčininkai checkpoints on the border with Belarus.
According to the agency, the decision was made by SBGS head Rustamas Liubajevas after assessing the situation from a security perspective and analyzing available information about the incident involving weather balloons.
“This decision was made following an assessment of the situation in terms of security and the available information about the incident in which weather balloons were launched from Belarus into Lithuania last night,” the press release said.
Preliminary SBGS data indicate that no serious incidents or conflicts among drivers waiting for the border to reopen were recorded near the checkpoints during the closure.
On the previous day, Lithuania had temporarily closed checkpoints on its border with Belarus from 21:30 due to meteorological balloons flying toward airports from Belarus. The airports in Vilnius and Kaunas announced a suspension of operations. Airspace over the airports was reopened at 2:35 a.m.
Earlier, on the night of Wednesday, October 22, Vilnius Airport had also halted operations due to weather balloons from Belarus. Lithuania closed the border from 2:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. The country had expressed readiness to shut the border for an extended period if the situation with the balloons repeated. A note of protest was delivered to Belarus.