OREANDA-NEWS. The Ministry of Defense of Belarus reported of an attempt to violate the country’s airspace by Lithuania. A bundle of eight balloons with anti-state symbols was launched from the Lithuanian territory; Belarus stopped their flight with the help of helicopters.

“On August 23, at about 19:30, the Air Force and air defense units… prevented a provocation from the Republic of Lithuania in the area of ​​the settlement Volkovschina, Oshmyany District. […] Thanks to the actions of the crews of the helicopters Mi-24… the flight of balloons was stopped without the use of weapons,” the agency’s message on Telegram says. The Defense Ministry has sent materials to the Foreign Ministry of Belarus to prepare a note to Vilnius.

At the same time, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius claimed that Belarusian helicopters violated Lithuanian airspace. Belarusian side received a note of protest due to this fact.

Earlier on the same day, in Lithuania tens of thousands of people lined up to the border with Belarus. At least 50 thousand citizens took part in the action of solidarity with the Belarusian opposition. Actions in its support were also held in the capitals of Latvia, Estonia, Poland, and Belgium.