Balloon incursions are ‘hybrid attack’ on Lithuania’s airspace, EU says as it summons Belarusian representative

President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, speaks in the European Parliament building on Wednesday. Philipp von Ditfurth/DPA/AP

Belarusian incursions into Lithuania’s airspace constitute a “hybrid attack” by the Lukashenko regime, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Monday, as the Belarusian representative in Brussels was summoned.

“The situation at the border with Belarus is worsening, with the growing incursions of smuggling balloons into Lithuania’s airspace,” von der Leyen said, following a conversation with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.

Her comments come after Lithuania’s Vilnius airport said Monday that “temporary airspace restrictions” were introduced above the airport over the weekend due to “navigation signals characteristic of bal