Stranded Trucks & Spy Balloons: Belarus-Lithuania Border Row Escalates

Belarusian authorities are actively working to manage over a thousand Lithuanian freight trucks left stranded within the country following Lithuania’s unilateral border closure. While Minsk reports successfully relocating most vehicles to secure lots, a significant number remain improperly parked along roadsides, prompting threats of substantial fines against their drivers. This domestic logistical challenge unfolds amidst a delicate diplomatic back-and-forth, with Vilnius signaling openness to negotiations but controversially linking the border situation to what it describes as a ‘hybrid attack’ involving meteorological balloons.

The Belarusian State Customs Committee (GTK) announced Thursday that more than 1,000 Lithuanian trucks, barred from exiting to Lithuania since November 10, have been moved to designated, guarded sites across various locations, enabling their drivers to depart Belarus. Specifically, 1,045 vehicles are accounted for at facilities like Berestovitsa (429 trucks), Benyakoni (166), Kotlovka (348), and Kamenny Log (102). However, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD) noted that approximately 220 additional Lithuanian trucks, with 140 of them abandoned on roadsides near border crossings, still require relocation. Efforts are underway by the GTK and MVD to locate these drivers and ensure their vehicles are transported to proper parking.

Belarusian customs and police have issued a stern warning: drivers who intentionally fail to comply with directives to move their vehicles to designated areas within specified deadlines will face administrative penalties up to the maximum amount, reaching 100 basic units, equivalent to 4,200 Belarusian rubles. Interior Minister Ivan Kubrakov recently detailed the logistical complexities involved, including deploying highway patrol units and special forces. He highlighted a significant problem of trailers and semi-trailers being abandoned on thoroughfares, creating traffic hazards due to lack of illumination and proper marking. Kubrakov emphasized that despite public appeals, owners have yet to claim these vehicles, prompting an order for them to be towed to secured lots.

Despite the strict enforcement, Minister Kubrakov observed that most drivers understand the Belarusian authorities’ actions, though many voice strong discontent with Vilnius’s policies. He added that the assistance provided by Belarusian officials, fulfilling President Lukashenko’s directive to ‘treat them humanely and provide all necessary help,’ has been well-received. Even issues outside the typical purview of the Internal Affairs Ministry are being addressed to support the stranded drivers.

In a parallel development, President Alexander Lukashenko instructed Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov to organize negotiations aimed at ‘normalizing the situation and resuming full functioning of checkpoints’ on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. The coordination of these talks has been entrusted to State Secretary of the Security Council, Alexander Volfovich.

On Wednesday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene confirmed receipt of Minsk’s official proposal for negotiations. She stated, ‘We have received a letter to start negotiations. We will examine it and make appropriate decisions.’ Speaking to the Lithuanian national broadcaster, she added, ‘We see positive signals, but we need to verify them. Once we are sure, we will immediately, here and now, open the borders and allow movement. But the border closure is a fight against a hybrid attack using balloons.’ This refers to previous claims of meteorological probes launched from Belarus for smuggling purposes.

Earlier, Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovich had suggested resolving the situation at a ‘non-political level,’ involving border officials. However, Belarusian Foreign Minister Maksim Ryzhenkov emphasized that given the situation had ‘gone far beyond the powers of authorized border services’ of both countries, the Foreign Ministry was now tasked with future negotiations with Vilnius. Yet, Kondratovich on Thursday indicated that a technical meeting between Lithuanian and Belarusian sides would indeed take place soon to address the issue of air smuggling.

Kondratovich reiterated to Lithuanian journalists, ‘I hope Belarus understood that it will not get out of the current situation, because meteorological probes are still being launched from Belarusian territory… We see that crime operates on both sides of the border, so it is natural that officials have something to talk about. They will do so shortly.’ He underscored, ‘We are talking about a criminal phenomenon – smuggling; there is no politics here. This issue must be resolved to protect our airspace, so that nothing threatens our civil aviation and society.’