TALLINN, Estonia — The authoritarian chief of Belarus threatened Monday to grab over 1,000 Lithuanian vans stranded in his nation following the closure of its border with Lithuania in current weeks after repeated incursions by climate balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes.

Lithuania, a NATO and European Union member, closed the 2 border crossings with Belarus on Oct. 29 after the meteorological balloons flying from Belarus induced repeated disruption of air visitors on the airport in Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius. The border will stay closed till a minimum of the top of November.

Lithuanian officers forged the flight disruptions as a part of anti-Western actions by Russia-allied Belarus meant to undermine stability. Lithuania borders Belarus in addition to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave.

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko denounced Lithuania’s transfer to shut the border as a “mad rip-off” and a part of a “hybrid struggle” towards his nation. He steered that Vilnius itself must fight smuggling of contraband.

The Belarusian authorities have refused to open a hall solely to evacuate the stranded Lithuanian vans, demanding that Lithuania absolutely reopen the border.

Lukashenko mentioned Monday that as much as 1,200 Lithuanian vans have been stranded in Belarus due to the closed border, and he warned that Belarusian authorities might seize them if Lithuania fails to reopen it.

“If they do not do it within the subsequent few days, we’ll decide in accordance with our legislation,” he mentioned. “As much as the confiscation of the autos.”

Lukashenko mentioned the vans have been moved to paid parking areas. “They can not simply loiter on the roads — 1,100 or 1,200 large vans,” he mentioned.

Erlandas Mikėnas of the Lithuanian Nationwide Street Carriers’ Affiliation mentioned in an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the drivers who have been stranded with their autos felt more and more “drained and offended,” and a few cargo might get spoiled.

The tensions come as Europe is on excessive alert after drone intrusions into NATO’s airspace reached an unprecedented scale since September. Some European officers described the incidents as Moscow testing NATO’s response.

Lukashenko famous that Belarusian authorities would elevate the Lithuanian border closure of their contacts with Washington.

In August, Lukashenko spoke by cellphone with U.S. President Donald Trump that sparked hypothesis of a potential thaw in relations. The next month, Lukashenko pardoned 52 political prisoners as a part of a U.S.-brokered deal that eased sanctions on Belarus’ nationwide service Belavia, together with the resumption of elements provides and plane servicing.

Trump introduced Sunday that John Coale, who helped dealer the deal, was being nominated because the U.S. particular envoy to Belarus and would work on negotiating the discharge of extra prisoners.