LITHUANIA TIGHTENS BELARUS BORDER, VOWS TO SHOOT DOWN SMUGGLER BALLOONS; LUKASHENKO BLASTS MOVE

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko condemned Lithuania’s tightened border measures and plans to shoot down smuggler balloons disrupting air traffic, calling them a “crazy scam” and part of a hybrid war. Lithuania’s prime minister said the government will target contraband balloons crossing from Belarus after repeated airspace incursions. Lukashenko framed Russia’s Oreshnik missile deployment in Belarus as defensive and said Minsk and Moscow do not seek escalation.