The article reports on the ongoing concerns faced by Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland regarding hybrid warfare tactics allegedly employed by Belarus, which includes random detentions and human trafficking. In particular, the situation has escalated with the emergence of smuggling weather balloons that have been disrupting air traffic in Vilnius as they are blown across the borders at night. The balloons, which can soar up to 8000 meters high, are filled with smuggled goods, notably cigarettes, causing significant challenges for local authorities.

The constant threat posed by these weather balloons has forced the Vilnius airport to shut down multiple times this year. Local officials, including Vilmantas Vitkauskas from Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center, have called out Belarus for not taking steps to prevent these incursions and claim that the regime is complicit in facilitating these acts. They view this as an extension of Belarus’s hybrid warfare strategy against the EU, demonstrating the escalating tensions between the countries bordering Belarus and the need for strict border control measures.

This developing situation not only highlights the vulnerabilities of the EU to unconventional warfare tactics but also underscores the complex political landscape surrounding Belarus. As the smuggling methods evolve, EU nations remain on high alert, prepared to enhance their defenses against similar tactics from their neighbor, as concerns grow about the broader implications for regional stability and security.