Lithuania will destroy contraband-carrying balloons, PM warns.

Authorities have decided to eliminate balloons used to smuggle illicit goods from Belarus, government officials confirmed.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic repeatedly in recent days, 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, "we are ready to take maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

Official Measures

Detailing the measures during a briefing, officials stated defense units were executing "complete operational protocols" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Concerning border measures, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel 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 Belarus stating that asymmetric operations face opposition across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to stop such attacks," government officials declared.

There has been no immediate response from the neighboring government.

Alliance Coordination

Authorities will discuss with international allies regarding the aerial device concerns and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a protocol allowing member state consultation regarding security matters, especially related to its security - officials noted.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns at the weekend due to weather balloons from Belarus, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, based on regional media reports.

In recent weeks, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

Regional Situation

International air travel hubs - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, over past months.