The Lithuanian government will destroy smuggling balloons, government leader states.

The Baltic nation plans to shoot down balloons used to smuggle illicit goods from Belarus, the country's leader announced.

The measure comes after unauthorized aerial incursions necessitated airport closures on several occasions recently, including at the weekend, while authorities suspended Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

The government leader stated, "authorities will not hesitate to employ even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to shoot down balloons.

Concerning border measures, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"This represents our clear message to the neighboring nation and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated here, and we will take all the strictest measures to stop such attacks," government officials declared.

Official communications saw no quick answer from the neighboring government.

Diplomatic Measures

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country about national security issues, especially related to its security - officials noted.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns over the weekend because of aerial devices originating from neighboring territory, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: as of 6 October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, while 966 were recorded last year.

International Perspective

Additional aviation facilities - including in Copenhagen and Munich - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, over past months.