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The Baltic nation plans to shoot down aerial devices transporting contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

The measure comes after foreign objects crossing the border disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, including at the weekend, accompanied by temporary closures of frontier checkpoints during these events.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

According to official declarations, "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, Ruginiene said the army was taking "every required action" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access for cross-border diplomatic missions, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, however general movement continues suspended.

"This represents our clear message to foreign authorities and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons with possible discussions about implementing Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion about national security issues, specifically concerning defense matters - officials noted.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns at the weekend due to weather balloons crossing the international border, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, per transportation authority data.

Earlier this month, 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, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from neighboring territory during current year, an NCMC spokesman said, while 966 were recorded last year.

International Perspective

Other European airports - covering northern and central European sites - experienced similar aerial disruptions, with unauthorized drone observations, in recent weeks.