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The Baltic nation plans to intercept and destroy helium balloons carrying contraband tobacco across the border, government officials confirmed.

This decision follows after foreign objects crossing the border necessitated airport closures on several occasions recently, with weekend disruptions, accompanied by temporary closures of Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely following repeated balloon incursions.

The government leader stated, "authorities will not hesitate to employ the strictest possible measures when our airspace is violated."

National Security Actions

Outlining the strategy to media, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" to intercept unauthorized devices.

About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel between the two countries, 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 and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," she said.

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 and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion about national security issues, especially related to its security - the Prime Minister concluded.

Flight Cancellations

National air facilities experienced triple closures at the weekend due to weather balloons from Belarus, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

In recent weeks, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, an NCMC spokesman said, while 966 were recorded last year.

European Context

Other European airports - including in Copenhagen and Munich - experienced similar aerial disruptions, with unauthorized drone observations, during current period.