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Lithuania will begin to shoot down balloons used to smuggle contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

This action responds after foreign objects crossing the border necessitated airport closures multiple times over the past week, including at the weekend, accompanied by temporary closures of frontier checkpoints during these events.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely following repeated balloon incursions.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "authorities will not hesitate to employ maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

Government Response

Detailing the measures during a briefing, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

Regarding frontier restrictions, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"Through these actions, we communicate to the neighboring nation 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.

Official communications saw no quick answer from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

Authorities will discuss with international allies over the threat posed from the balloons while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

National air facilities experienced triple closures during holiday periods from balloon incidents from Belarus, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

Earlier this 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 from Belarus this year, according to official statements, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

Additional aviation facilities - including in Copenhagen and Munich - experienced similar aerial disruptions, including drone sightings, in recent weeks.