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The Baltic nation plans to eliminate balloons used to smuggle contraband tobacco across the border, government officials confirmed.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, with the government also closing cross-border movement during each incident.

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

According to official declarations, "we are ready to take even the most severe actions during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

National Security Actions

Detailing the measures during a briefing, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Regarding frontier restrictions, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues across the international border, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, but no other movement will be allowed.

"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 halt these operations," government officials declared.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

International Consultation

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners about the security challenges presented while potentially considering invocation of the alliance's consultation mechanism - a request for consultation by a Nato member country about national security issues, specifically concerning defense matters - the Prime Minister concluded.

Travel Impacts

Lithuanian airports were closed three times at the weekend due to weather balloons originating from neighboring territory, 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.

The phenomenon is not new: by autumn measurements, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

Additional aviation facilities - covering northern and central European sites - have also been affected by air incursions, with unauthorized drone observations, in recent weeks.