airspace incident: Vilnius Airport (2026-06-08)

What happened

On the night of Sunday 7 to Monday 8 June Vilnius Airport restricted traffic from 01:18 to 04:00 after navigation traces typical of balloons were detected in areas risky for aviation. According to Lithuanian Airports (via LRT/BNS) 5 flights and about 453 passengers were affected: 4 aircraft were diverted (2 to Kaunas) and 1 flight was cancelled. NKVC head Vilmantas Vitkauskas spoke of five balloons recorded over the Vilnius and Salcininkai districts, not very intense in number, but crossing the landing approach path. The operator called the restriction a response to a hybrid attack by Belarus. Delfi's headline speaks of six flights; 5 is adopted after LRT/BNS. Who launched the balloons has not been established.

Responsibility and limits of the evidence

not assessed

Nobody has yet assessed responsibility for this record. Not assessed is not the same as not established.

Impact

killed

not established

injured

not established

damage

not established

No casualties reported.

pending editorial review

Source discrepancy

Delfi's headline gives six disrupted flights, LRT/BNS and 15min after Lithuanian Airports give five. The Delfi text was not opened.

Sources

1. Vilniaus oro uoste vėl buvo ribojami skrydžiai

   LRT / BNS / 2026-06-08 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the disruption, that it happened, the date, the impact

2. Naktį virš Vilniaus buvo laikinai apribota oro erdvė

   15min.lt / 2026-06-08 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the disruption

3. Naktį vėl buvo sustabdyta Vilniaus oro uosto veikla

   kaunas.kasvyksta.lt / BNS / 2026-06-08 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the disruption, that it happened

4. Six flights disrupted as Vilnius Airport shuts overnight over balloon threat

   Delfi EN / 2026-06-08 / secondary source

   supports: the record

5. Lithuania's capital airport was closed overnight due to weather balloons from Belarus

   UA.News (za Delfi) / 2026-06-08 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the disruption