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Lithuania will begin to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting illicit goods from Belarus, its prime minister has warned.

This decision follows after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace forced Vilnius Airport to close repeatedly in recent days, including at the weekend, with the government also closing cross-border movement during each incident.

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

The government leader stated, "authorities will not hesitate to employ the strictest possible measures when our airspace is violated."

Government Response

Detailing the measures during a briefing, officials stated defense units were executing "every required action" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," government officials declared.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from the neighboring government.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons and may discuss activating the alliance's consultation mechanism - a request for consultation by a Nato member country about national security issues, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Flight Cancellations

Lithuanian airports were closed three times over the weekend because of aerial devices originating from neighboring territory, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

In recent weeks, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from neighboring territory during current year, per government spokesperson comments, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

International air travel hubs - such as Scandinavian and German locations - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, during current period.