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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 decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions necessitated airport closures on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, accompanied by temporary closures of 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 against airspace violations."

Official Measures

Announcing the actions at a press conference, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Regarding frontier restrictions, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, however general movement continues suspended.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted here, and we will take all the strictest measures to stop such attacks," she said.

Official communications saw no quick answer from Minsk officials.

International Consultation

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners over the threat posed from the balloons and may discuss activating the NATO consultation clause - a request for consultation by a Nato member country regarding security matters, especially related to its security - officials noted.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns during holiday periods from balloon incidents originating from neighboring territory, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, according to emergency management officials.

This situation represents ongoing challenges: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, per government spokesperson comments, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

International Perspective

International air travel hubs - including in Copenhagen and Munich - experienced similar aerial disruptions, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, in recent weeks.