Russia uses “weapons of chaos” for attacks on Europe, experts claim about the new tactic.

Lithuanian services report constant launches of balloons from the territory of Belarus. All of them come with GPS trackers and regularly cross the border. Formally — harmless objects, in fact — another layer of hybrid warfare that affects aviation and the nerves of neighboring countries.

Since October, Vilnius airport had to be closed nine times. Officially, 550 balloons have been intercepted. Lithuanians admit: they shoot down about a quarter. The rest continued their journey, and no one guarantees that there are no cameras, sensors, or contents dangerous to infrastructure inside.

Lithuanian officials call this an attack coordinated with Lukashenko. The wording is harsh because it concerns the security of NATO’s eastern flank. The balloons rise to an altitude of up to 8,000 meters. Drones cannot reach them. And if a 50-kilogram object falls — it is a problem for any territory, even without explosives.

Experts talk about variations. Cameras. Route reconnaissance. Testing the reaction of services. The possibility of delivering devices similar to those used in the Gaza Strip. Moscow and Minsk can always say that these are “amateurs” or “private individuals.” This format makes the method convenient — responsibility is blurred.

Former Lithuanian ambassador Eitvydas Bajarunas explains the situation more simply: testing NATO’s reaction time. Where is the delay, where is the slow communication channel, where is the weak link. Simultaneously — an internal signal for Minsk: the authorities control the agenda and keep the West on edge.

Provocations work as a reminder. War can look different, without tanks, without a front, but the pressure continues. Balloons become a tool for testing defense and a way to mark the space in which Moscow and Minsk want to impose their rules.

Read the full analysis, expert assessments, and the development of the topic at NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency, where we monitor hybrid threats and the reaction of countries in the region.