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Authorities have decided to shoot down balloons used to smuggle contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace necessitated airport closures multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely in response to the helium weather balloons.

According to official declarations, "we are ready to take even the most severe actions during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

Official Measures

Detailing the measures during a briefing, officials stated defense units were executing "complete operational protocols" to eliminate aerial threats.

About the border closure, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues between the two countries, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, but no other movement will be allowed.

"Through these actions, we communicate to foreign authorities stating that asymmetric operations face opposition 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

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners about the security challenges presented and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country regarding security matters, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times over the weekend because of aerial devices from Belarus, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, per transportation authority data.

During the current month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: as of 6 October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

Regional Situation

Additional aviation facilities - such as Scandinavian and German locations - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, during current period.