Border Closure Traps 2,000 Trucks in Belarus Amid Hybrid Attack Concerns

Approximately 2,000 trucks found themselves stuck in Belarus on Friday after Lithuania decided to close its border due to recent disruptions in its airspace, according to a truckers’ association.

Last week, multiple balloons carrying illegal cigarettes breached Lithuania’s airspace, resulting in the temporary shutdown of airports in both Vilnius and Kaunas, which impacted numerous flights and stranded thousands of travelers.

Vilnius, along with the European Union, condemned these events as a «hybrid attack.»

«Currently, about 2,000 trucks are trapped in Belarus,» said Oleg Tarasov, vice president of Linava, the association representing Lithuanian road carriers, in a statement to AFP on Friday.

«The Belarusian authorities have confiscated all Lithuanian vehicles, preventing them from leaving the border area. We are being held hostage, along with our cargo,» he commented.

Tarasov estimated that approximately 60 million euros ($69 million) worth of goods are currently immobilized in Belarus and cautioned that these delays could lead to monthly losses of around 18 million euros.

The Linava representative criticized the government for failing to consult or inform logistics companies before implementing the border closure, which significantly impacts cross-border freight transport.

According to data from the association, Lithuania’s logistics sector employs about 54,000 drivers with a fleet of approximately 56,000 trucks.

In response to last week’s events, Lithuania, a member of both NATO and the European Union, has closed its last two border crossings with Belarus until November 30.

Earlier in 2023 and into 2024, four additional border crossings with Belarus were shut down due to security concerns arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Poland also temporarily closed its border with Belarus last September while Minsk hosted military exercises led by Russia, and has since reopened only a portion of the crossings.