BRUSSELS, Dec 15 (KUNA) -- The Council of the European Union announced on Monday an expansion of sanctions on Belarus to cover hybrid activities targeting EU member states that threaten democracy, the rule of law, stability, or security.
In a statement, the Council explained that this decision follows recent incidents involving breaches of Lithuanian airspace by weather balloons, noting that the new criterion will enable the EU to impose restrictive measures on persons and entities that plan, direct, support, or facilitate information manipulation and foreign interference operations.
It added that, under this measure, the EU will be able to impose sanctions on individuals and entities involved in actions targeting the functioning of democratic institutions, economic activities, or services of public interest in the EU and its member states, as well as actions involving unauthorized entry into the territory of member states.
The statement noted that the new criterion also covers acts aimed at interfering with, damaging, or destroying critical infrastructure, as well as large-scale or systematic actions that result in the disruption of such infrastructure.
The European Union had condemned last month the escalating hybrid attacks launched by Russia and Belarus, alongside recent violations of EU airspace.
Since January 1, 2025, Lithuania has recorded a marked increase in airspace violations, with a sharp rise in the number of incidents since October 2025, including the use of drones and the misuse of weather balloons for smuggling purposes. These violations disrupted hundreds of flights and caused significant losses for airlines and thousands of passengers. (end) arn.onm