The Lithuanian government will destroy contraband-carrying balloons, PM warns.

Lithuania will begin to shoot down helium balloons carrying contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

This decision follows after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, accompanied by temporary closures of Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely in response to the helium weather balloons.

The government leader stated, "our nation stands prepared to implement even the most severe actions against airspace violations."

Government Response

Outlining the strategy to media, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to shoot down balloons.

Regarding frontier restrictions, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues for cross-border diplomatic missions, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"This represents our clear message to Belarus declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Official communications saw no quick answer from the neighboring government.

Alliance Coordination

Authorities will discuss with international allies about the security challenges presented with possible discussions about implementing the NATO consultation clause - a request for consultation by a Nato member country about national security issues, particularly involving territorial protection - officials noted.

Flight Cancellations

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns over the weekend because of aerial devices from Belarus, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, according to Baltic News Service.

In recent weeks, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: by autumn measurements, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from neighboring territory during current year, according to official statements, while 966 were recorded last year.

European Context

Additional aviation facilities - covering northern and central European sites - have also been affected by air incursions, with unauthorized drone observations, over past months.