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

This decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, including at the weekend, while authorities suspended cross-border movement during each incident.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely in response to the helium weather balloons.

According to official declarations, "authorities will not hesitate to employ even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated."

National Security Actions

Outlining the strategy to media, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" 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, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"This represents our clear message to the neighboring nation stating that asymmetric operations face opposition across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to stop such attacks," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Minsk officials.

Diplomatic Measures

Lithuania plans to consult its allies regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Travel Impacts

National air facilities experienced triple closures at the weekend due to weather balloons crossing the international border, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, per transportation authority data.

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

This situation represents ongoing challenges: as of 6 October, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus this year, an NCMC spokesman said, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

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