Belarus Summons Lithuanian Envoy Over Drone Crash Amid Renewed Border Tensions

Belarus summoned the Lithuanian envoy on Monday for a reprimand over a drone crash, marking the latest development in the ongoing diplomatic tensions between the neighbouring post-Soviet states.

Lithuania, a member of the European Union (EU) and NATO, recently reopened its border with Belarus following a month-long shutdown imposed after dozens of balloons carrying illegal cigarettes entered its airspace from the country closely allied with Russia. The Lithuanian government and the EU denounced these incidents, which disrupted air traffic at the time, as a “hybrid attack”.

On Monday, Belarus announced it had summoned Lithuania’s diplomatic representative, Erikas Vilkanecas, over a “violation” of the Belarusian border. Vilkanecas was handed “a protest over the violation of the state border of the Republic of Belarus by an unmanned aerial vehicle of the aircraft type, carried out from the territory of the Republic of Lithuania on November 30,” the foreign ministry in Minsk said.

It further added that, following the examination of the drone’s video and navigation data, it was determined that the vehicle was supposed to return to Lithuania after its flight over Belarus.

Ministry spokesman Ruslan Varankov stated, “Such actions pose a threat to the security of the Republic of Belarus and are a direct violation of international law.”

The border closure in late October had caused tensions between Vilnius and Minsk, and approximately 2,000 Lithuanian trucks were stranded in Belarus. The EU announced on Monday that it is currently working on imposing new sanctions against Belarus regarding the balloon incursions into Lithuania.

Khaborwala/SS