Vilnius Airport, Lithuania. Photo: Karolis Kavolelis / Shutterstock About a day after flights were halted at Lublin Airport in Poland due to renewed intensification of the war between Russia and Ukraine, another unusual event occurred in the skies of Europe, this time in Lithuania.
According to a statement from the Lithuanian Civil Aviation Administration last night (February 17, 2026), at around 6:30 PM (GMT), "a hybrid attack by Belarus against Lithuania, against civil aviation, and against the public" was carried out.
The Lithuanian Civil Aviation Administration explained that balloon-like navigation traces were detected in areas that pose a risk to aviation, which led to temporary airspace restrictions over Vilnius Airport.
The air curfew lasted about an hour, and Vilnius Airport eventually returned to full operation at 7:45 PM (GMT), after concerns about harm to civil aviation were removed.
Vilnius Airport said that passengers whose flights were disrupted by the restrictions or canceled are invited to contact the airlines directly for more detailed information.