Lithuania Accuses Belarus For Violating Air Frontiers

An aircraft, flying from Belarus, violated Lithuanian air frontiers near the Lazdijai district municipality.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania reported that on Friday.

The ambassador of Belarus in Vilnius has been called to the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry in connection with the incident and demanded explanations. She has been asked to take measures for this not to happen again, delfi.lt reports referring to the Foreign Ministry’s press release.

The incident was recorded at 10:30 am on Thursday.

“On August 11, 2016, at 10.37 a.m., border monitoring services recorded that an aircraft of unknown type, flying from Belarus, violated twice the state border of the Republic of Lithuania near the Lazdijai district municipality. The violation of the state border lasted up to 10.47 a.m.,” – the Foreign Ministry informs.

Lithuanian Army Integrated Staff representative, captain Thomas Pakalniskis said that the plane had been detected by a military radar, but it wasn’t visible to the border guards due to the clouds.

“The possible violation has been detected by radars only. Border officials have been sent to this place, but due to the clouds they could not physically see the plane,” – Pakalniskis said.

“It could be either a civil, or a military plane, manned or unmanned,” – he added. The note of the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in connection with this event was handed in to temporary charge d’affaires of the Belarusian Embassy in Lithuania Liudmila Tatarynovich.

Press officer of the Ministry of Defence of Lithuania Asta Galdikayte said that NATO air police fighters on duty, located in Siauliai, hadn’t taken off to escort the offender.

According to her, the investigation is being carried out, so no further information is available. Press officer of the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius Maryja Ahafonava said that the note had been forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus.