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The Baltic nation plans to shoot down helium balloons carrying contraband tobacco across the border, the country's leader announced.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions necessitated airport closures multiple times over the past week, affecting holiday travel, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

The government leader stated, "we are ready to take maximum response protocols when our airspace is violated."

Government Response

Outlining the strategy to media, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "complete operational protocols" to eliminate aerial threats.

Regarding frontier restrictions, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus stating that asymmetric operations face opposition across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to stop such attacks," government officials declared.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

Authorities will discuss with international allies about the security challenges presented while potentially considering invocation of the NATO consultation clause - a protocol allowing member state consultation regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Flight Cancellations

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices from Belarus, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, per transportation authority data.

During the current month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, per national security agency reports.

These incidents continue previous patterns: by autumn measurements, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from Belarus this year, an NCMC spokesman said, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

Other European airports - such as Scandinavian and German locations - faced comparable aviation security challenges, including drone sightings, over past months.