AFU Reserve Colonel Explains Why Lukashenko Scares NATO With Balloons
- 10.12.2025, 20:21
This is about an element of military training, not a safe action.
On the air of "24 Kanal" the colonel of the reserve of the AFU, flight instructor and military expert Roman Svitan told about what role these balloons may play and how it threatens Lithuania and allies. He explained that intelligence and data collection for future strikes may be behind such launches, and not only Lukashenko's provocations.
- At first glance, the story with balloons from Belarus looks like a strange prank by Alexander Lukashenko. But these launches can be an element of reconnaissance and work like drones, even if the balloons themselves are not formally considered a military target. Such balloons can carry equipment for radio reconnaissance, as well as photo and video recording of military facilities in the Baltic States.
Such layers can perform reconnaissance functions up to the removal of the so-called digital map of the area, - explained the colonel of the reserve.
If after the shooting down of such balloons such equipment is found on them, it would already mean preparation for strikes in this direction. Sweetan compared the situation to the way Russia has filled European space with drones taking video and photos of approaches to targets. This data is then loaded into the memory of missiles and attack drones that are already carrying a warhead.
Roman Svitan explained that the first step for Lithuania and the other Baltic states is to shoot down such balloons while still in the air. They may carry reconnaissance equipment or even warheads, so it is impossible to perceive them as a safe "prank" of Lukashenko. We are talking about an element of military training, not a safe action.
- How to counteract it? It is unambiguous to destroy these balloons, they can carry a combat load, they should be shot down at least," said Svitan.
After that, said Svitan, the political and legal mechanisms of Europe should be involved in the case. This refers to sanctions and judicial pressure on Lukashenko's regime to force it to stop such launches. Such a reaction should show that the use of balloons for military purposes will not remain without consequences for the Belarusian authorities.