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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

This decision follows after foreign objects crossing the border forced Vilnius Airport to close on several occasions recently, including at the weekend, with the government also closing cross-border movement during each incident.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "we are ready to take even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated."

National Security Actions

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues across the international border, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"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 stop such attacks," government officials declared.

Official communications saw no quick answer from Belarus.

International Consultation

Authorities will discuss with international allies about the security challenges presented while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - she added.

Airport Disruptions

National air facilities experienced triple closures during holiday periods from balloon incidents originating from neighboring territory, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, based on regional media reports.

During the current month, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, per national security agency reports.

These incidents continue previous patterns: as of 6 October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, per government spokesperson comments, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

Additional aviation facilities - covering northern and central European sites - have also been affected by air incursions, including drone sightings, during current period.