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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy helium balloons carrying cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, government officials confirmed.

This decision follows after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic repeatedly in recent days, including at the weekend, accompanied by temporary closures of Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "authorities will not hesitate to employ maximum response protocols during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

National Security Actions

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

Regarding frontier restrictions, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel across the international border, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, however general movement continues suspended.

"This represents our clear message to the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted here, and we will take all the strictest measures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from Belarus.

Alliance Coordination

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners about the security challenges presented and may discuss activating the NATO consultation clause - a request for consultation by a Nato member country regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times at the weekend due to weather balloons from Belarus, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre told the BBC.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, an NCMC spokesman said, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

International air travel hubs - such as Scandinavian and German locations - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, over past months.