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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, government officials confirmed.

The measure comes after foreign objects crossing the border forced Vilnius Airport to close on several occasions recently, including at the weekend, accompanied by temporary closures of frontier checkpoints during these events.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

According to official declarations, "authorities will not hesitate to employ even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated."

Official Measures

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to eliminate aerial threats.

Concerning border measures, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, while European Union nationals and Lithuanian residents retain entry rights, 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 across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to prevent similar incidents," government officials declared.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from the neighboring government.

Diplomatic Measures

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners regarding the aerial device concerns and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion about national security issues, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times at the weekend due to weather balloons originating from neighboring territory, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, per national security agency reports.

These incidents continue previous patterns: through early October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders from Belarus this year, according to official statements, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

International Perspective

International air travel hubs - including in Copenhagen and Munich - faced comparable aviation security challenges, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, in recent weeks.