Event 585

{
  "border_violation_countries": [
    "Belarus",
    "Lithuania",
    "LT",
    "Air"
  ],
  "border_violation_modes": [
    "Air"
  ],
  "category": "Border",
  "confidence": "Low",
  "confidence_rationale": "Multiple named official spokespersons cited, event corroborated by airport and border guard comments, and timestamp included.",
  "countries": [
    "Lithuania",
    "Belarus"
  ],
  "country": "Lithuania",
  "defense_prep": {},
  "description": "A small balloon carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus fell within Vilnius Airport territory, prompting police and anti-terror units to investigate a possible cross-border smuggling incident.",
  "event_time_utc": "2024-09-30T12:00:00Z",
  "evidence": [
    "Incident involved a balloon carrying contraband cigarettes entering Lithuanian airspace over Vilnius Airport.",
    "Balloon originated from Belarus and dropped illegal cargo before being recovered by authorities."
  ],
  "evidence_quotes": [
    "A small uncontrolled balloon was spotted within the territory of Vilnius Airport on Saturday evening and fell down with its cargo of contraband cigarettes.",
    "The balloon was spotted at around 23:45 on Saturday.",
    "according to initial information, the balloon was flying over Vilnius Airport and exploded, dropping a black box into the airport’s territory.",
    "The cargo contained 1,250 packs of two types of Belarusian cigarettes and was taken over by customs officers",
    "border guards have been spotting weather balloons or drones with small contraband cargo crossing from Belarus to Lithuania almost every day ever since Lithuania erected fences along its border."
  ],
  "extra": {
    "category_raw": "Smuggling/Sabotage",
    "extra": {
      "extra": {
        "extra": {
          "evidence": [
            "Incident involved a balloon carrying contraband cigarettes entering Lithuanian airspace over Vilnius Airport.",
            "Balloon originated from Belarus and dropped illegal cargo before being recovered by authorities."
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "follow_up_by_country": [],
  "headline": "Belarusian smuggler balloon falls down in Vilnius Airport",
  "location_text": "Vilnius Airport",
  "media_assets": [
    {
      "description": "Screenshot capture",
      "type": "screenshot",
      "url": "/media/event_585_1763931810_484403d6.jpg"
    }
  ],
  "notes": "Criminal use of balloons for smuggling. Weather balloon used for smuggling/sabotage near ??Vilnius",
  "primary_ref_links": [
    "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2374042/minister-promises-legislation-to-let-lithuanian-border-guards-shoot-smuggler-balloons"
  ],
  "schema_version": "v1",
  "screenshot_count": 1,
  "sources": [
    "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2372844/belarusian-smuggler-balloon-falls-down-in-vilnius-airport",
    "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2374042/minister-promises-legislation-to-let-lithuanian-border-guards-shoot-smuggler-balloons"
  ],
  "summary_short": "A Belarusian balloon with contraband cigarettes entered Lithuanian airspace and fell at Vilnius Airport.",
  "url": "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2372844/belarusian-smuggler-balloon-falls-down-in-vilnius-airport"
}

{
  "5th Column of Russians Inside (which countries)": "",
  "Attack Type": "Smuggling/Sabotage",
  "Borders Including Sea, Air,  Violation or Sabotage (which countries)": "LT Air",
  "Continuous? (e.g. Jammers)": "",
  "Country (FI;EE;LV;LT;PL;BSR;Air)\nSeparated by Semicolon": "LT",
  "Date": "30-Sep-24",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "",
  "Defense Prep Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "",
  "Follow-Up Link?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Follow-Up NOTES": "",
  "Follow-Up incl. Investigation, Prosecution?  (FI,EE,LV,LT,PL, BSR, Air)": "",
  "Latitude, Longitude (WGS84, Decimal Degrees)": "",
  "NOTES": "Criminal use of balloons for smuggling. Weather balloon used for smuggling/sabotage near ??Vilnius",
  "Political Disruptions w/ Laws to Favor Kremlin (which countries)": "",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL)": "Weather balloon used for smuggling/sabotage near ??Vilnius",
  "Russian-Belarus Terrorist Event (FI-EE-LV-LT-PL) REF LINK": "https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2372844/belarusian-smuggler-balloon-falls-down-in-vilnius-airport and https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/2374042/minister-promises-legislation-to-let-lithuanian-border-guards-shoot-smuggler-balloons",
  "Screen Snapshot": "",
  "Screen Snapshots": "",
  "Type Dropdown": "",
  "Where?\n(Air, Land, Sea)": ""
}