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The Baltic nation plans to eliminate balloons used to smuggle illicit goods from Belarus, government officials confirmed.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace forced Vilnius Airport to close repeatedly in recent days, with weekend disruptions, while authorities suspended frontier checkpoints during these events.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

According to official declarations, "authorities will not hesitate to employ maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

National Security Actions

Announcing the actions at a press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access for cross-border diplomatic missions, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, but no other movement will be allowed.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to foreign authorities stating that asymmetric operations face opposition here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," government officials declared.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

Alliance Coordination

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners over the threat posed from the balloons with possible discussions about implementing the alliance's consultation mechanism - a protocol allowing member state consultation on any issue of concern, especially related to its security - officials noted.

Travel Impacts

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices crossing the international border, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, per transportation authority data.

During the current month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre told the BBC.

This situation represents ongoing challenges: through early October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, per government spokesperson comments, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

International air travel hubs - including in Copenhagen and Munich - have also been affected by air incursions, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, during current period.