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Lithuania will begin to shoot down balloons used to smuggle illicit goods from Belarus, the country's leader announced.

This decision follows after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, with the government also closing cross-border movement during each incident.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely following repeated balloon incursions.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "our nation stands prepared to implement maximum response protocols during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "complete operational protocols" to intercept unauthorized devices.

About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel between the two countries, while European Union nationals and Lithuanian residents retain entry rights, however general movement continues suspended.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Official communications saw no quick answer from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of the alliance's consultation mechanism - a protocol allowing member state consultation on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Travel Impacts

National air facilities experienced triple closures during holiday periods from balloon incidents from Belarus, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

Earlier this month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: by autumn measurements, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania across the frontier in recent months, an NCMC spokesman said, while 966 were recorded last year.

European Context

Additional aviation facilities - such as Scandinavian and German locations - have also been affected by air incursions, with unauthorized drone observations, during current period.