Belarus Weather Balloons Controversy: Tensions rising between Russia and NATO ally Lithuania

Belarus, a close ally of Russia, has caused heightened tensions in NATO’s meeting with Lithuania in the region. The weather balloons launched from Belarus have affected the main airport in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, causing operations to halt on Saturday night. This has intensified the already fragile economic stability and aviation security in Lithuania, with the foreign affairs branch describing it as a ‘low-level hybrid attack.’ The dispute has become even more complex as Belarus has allegedly conducted covert operations with drones against Lithuania, prompting the Lithuanian diplomats to issue warnings to their Belarusian counterparts.