Putin Ally Shuts Down Lithuanian Flights With Balloon Incursions

Vilnius is the only European capital that allows hot-air balloons to float over the city center, making them a signature of the skyline in the summer months.

But a recent surge in incursions is far more sinister. Hundreds of teardrop-shaped weather balloons ferrying contraband from Belarus have flown near to Lithuania’s main airport in recent months, disrupting flights and prompting the government to declare a state of emergency this week.