Artūras Jonkus: Balloons, Cigarettes, and National Security
MEDIA COMMENTARY
10/7/2025
Artūras Jonkus reflects on the recent wave of meteorological balloons crossing into Lithuania from Belarus, some carrying contraband cigarettes, and points to the broader implications for national security. He argues that such incidents expose how non-traditional challenges—balloons, smuggled goods, hybrid tactics—are increasingly testing border protection and institutional readiness. More than a matter of customs and law enforcement, he contends, these events demand a strategic response: one that recognises how asymmetric threats exploit regulatory gaps, public trust, and the slower gears of state coordination.
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SUMMARY
