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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, its prime minister has warned.

This decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions necessitated airport closures multiple times over the past week, affecting holiday travel, while authorities suspended frontier checkpoints during these events.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

According to official declarations, "we are ready to take maximum response protocols when our airspace is violated."

Official Measures

Outlining the strategy to media, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Regarding frontier restrictions, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel across the international border, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, but no other movement will be allowed.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to foreign authorities declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted here, and we will take all the strictest measures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

Diplomatic Measures

Authorities will discuss with international allies regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of the NATO consultation clause - a provision enabling alliance discussion regarding security matters, especially related to its security - the Prime Minister concluded.

Flight Cancellations

National air facilities experienced triple closures at the weekend due to weather balloons originating from neighboring territory, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: as of 6 October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from Belarus this year, per government spokesperson comments, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

Regional Situation

International air travel hubs - including in Copenhagen and Munich - faced comparable aviation security challenges, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, in recent weeks.