100 Lithuanian Trucks Abandoned in Belarus
Around 100 Lithuanian trucks remain in Belarus after being detained during a border crisis, with owners abandoning them due to storage fees exceeding the vehicles' value. The situation stems from Lithuania's 2025 closure of border crossings over cigarette smuggling, prompting Belarus to block Lithuanian freight traffic.
Consensus
- Around 100 Lithuanian trucks are still in Belarus.
- The trucks were detained during a border crisis between Lithuania and Belarus.
- Owners have abandoned the trucks due to high storage fees.
- Storage costs exceed the value of the trucks.
- The border crisis began in October 2025 when Lithuania closed border crossings.
- Belarus responded by blocking Lithuanian freight traffic.
- In March 2026, Belarus allowed 1900 foreign trucks, including Lithuanian ones, to leave.
- Belarus promised not to confiscate Lithuanian-registered trucks.
- The president of Lithuania's transport association, Erlandas Mikenas, confirmed the situation.
Points of divergence
- Some carriers still hope to recover the trucks, though Mikenas considers it highly likely they will remain in Belarus. — vm
- The exact number of trucks currently in Belarus is unknown. — vm
- Latvia passed a ban on imports from Russia and Belarus on 23 July, effective until 1 July 2027. — vm
- Belarus required trucks to be placed on guarded parking areas with a fee of €120 per day. — tg_tass_agency
- Lithuania reported the discovery of an illegal underground tunnel under the border with Belarus. — vesti
Coverage (5 sources)
- «They put a cross on them»: about 100 Lithuanian trucks remain in Belarus — РИАМО
- Owners of a hundred detained Lithuanian trucks left them in Belarus — Вечерняя Москва
- In Belarus, about 100 previously detained Lithuanian trucks remain, Lithuanian Transport Association President 'Linaiva' Erlandas Mikenas stated — ТАСС (Telegram)
- About 100 Lithuanian trucks remain detained in Belarus — Вести
- Owners of 100 detained Lithuanian trucks left them in Belarus — Коммерсантъ