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Lithuania will begin to intercept and destroy balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, government officials confirmed.

This decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close on several occasions recently, with weekend disruptions, accompanied by temporary closures of frontier checkpoints during these events.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

The government leader stated, "authorities will not hesitate to employ maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

Concerning border measures, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, but no other movement will be allowed.

"This represents our clear message to foreign authorities and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

International Consultation

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons and may discuss activating the alliance's consultation mechanism - a provision enabling alliance discussion on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Flight Cancellations

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices originating from neighboring territory, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, based on regional media reports.

During the current month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: as of 6 October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, per government spokesperson comments, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

Other European airports - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, in recent weeks.