In Belarus, a fighter jet was scrambled on alarm to shoot down an unidentified object
As it became known to the 'Flagstock' publication from one of the Ukrainian Telegram channels monitoring the air situation, on the afternoon of February 18, a Belarusian Su-30 fighter jet was scrambled from the airfield in Baranavichy due to the detection of an unidentified object in the airspace of Belarus.
Illustrative photo: Su-30 SM
Upon approaching the object, it turned out to be a large plastic balloon with a suspended load. Around 2:30 PM, the pilot shot it down. The area where it was shot down is unknown.
"Flagstock" notes that on February 18, around noon, an east — south-easterly wind prevailed over Belarus, and based on this, suggests that Belarusian contraband intended for the EU might have been hit.