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Lithuania will begin to intercept and destroy balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, the country's leader announced.

This decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions necessitated airport closures multiple times over the past week, including at the weekend, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

According to official declarations, "our nation stands prepared to implement maximum response protocols when our airspace is violated."

National Security Actions

Outlining the strategy to media, Ruginiene said the army was taking "all necessary measures" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Regarding frontier restrictions, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access for cross-border diplomatic missions, while European Union nationals and Lithuanian residents retain entry rights, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of the alliance's consultation mechanism - a protocol allowing member state consultation regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns during holiday periods from balloon incidents crossing the international border, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

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

These incidents continue previous patterns: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from neighboring territory during current year, according to official statements, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

Additional aviation facilities - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, over past months.