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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy helium balloons carrying illicit goods from Belarus, its prime minister has warned.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close repeatedly in recent days, including at the weekend, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely following repeated balloon incursions.

According to official declarations, "authorities will not hesitate to employ even the most severe actions during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

Official Measures

Outlining the strategy to media, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

Concerning border measures, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"Through these actions, we communicate to the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to stop such attacks," government officials declared.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from the neighboring government.

International Consultation

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons with possible discussions about implementing the NATO consultation clause - a request for consultation by a Nato member country about national security issues, particularly involving territorial protection - she added.

Travel Impacts

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices crossing the international border, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, according to Baltic News Service.

In recent weeks, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, per national security agency reports.

The phenomenon is not new: by autumn measurements, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders from neighboring territory during current year, an NCMC spokesman said, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

International Perspective

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