Belarus Accuses Lithuania of Drone Espionage & Dropping 'Extremist Material' Amid Border Tensions

Belarus Levels Drone Spying Allegations Against Lithuania Amid Escalating Border Tensions

In a fresh escalation of regional tensions, Belarus has publicly accused neighboring Lithuania of deploying a drone for espionage purposes and distributing "extremist material" within its borders. The serious allegations, made by Minsk on Monday, December 1, 2025, have been vehemently denied by Vilnius, labeling them as baseless fabrications.

The incident unfolds against a backdrop of severely strained relations between the two Eastern European nations. Only days prior, on Sunday, Vilnius airport was compelled to temporarily suspend air traffic following reports of suspected balloons infringing on Lithuanian airspace – a recurring issue that Lithuania attributes to cross-border smuggling operations facilitated by Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko. Lithuania claims these "weather balloons" are, in fact, used by smugglers to transport contraband cigarettes, a practice it blames directly on Minsk.

Drone Discovery in Grodno

The Belarusian Interior Ministry spearheaded the accusation, detailing the purported drone incident. According to their statement, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of "unknown origin" was discovered on a street in Grodno, a city of approximately 360,000 residents situated in western Belarus, near its borders with both Lithuania and Poland.

Upon inspection by local police, the drone was reportedly found equipped with a sophisticated photo and video camera, capable of collecting intelligence data. More strikingly, the ministry asserted that the drone had dropped "extremist printed materials." Photographs released by the ministry showed a small drone resting on the pavement, accompanied by small white-red-white flags – symbols widely recognized as representing the opposition movement against the current Belarusian government under Lukashenko.

Specialists investigating the drone incident concluded that the device was launched from Kapciamiestis, a village located in Lithuania, strategically close to both the Belarusian and Polish borders.

Lithuania Rejects Claims as "Invented Stories"

In response to the grave charges, a spokesperson for Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre swiftly refuted Belarus's claims. Speaking to Reuters, the spokesperson unequivocally denied that Vilnius had dispatched any drone to spy on Belarus.

"It is not the first time the Belarusian regime is inventing stories and hurling accusations at Western countries and Lithuania," the spokesperson stated, underscoring Lithuania's perspective that these allegations are part of a broader pattern of disinformation originating from Minsk.

This latest diplomatic spat highlights the deepening chasm between Belarus and its Western neighbors, with mutual distrust and accusations continuing to fuel regional instability.