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Authorities have decided to shoot down aerial devices transporting cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, government officials confirmed.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic 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, "our nation stands prepared to implement the strictest possible measures during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

National Security Actions

Announcing the actions at a press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "all necessary measures" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Concerning border measures, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access between the two countries, while European Union nationals and Lithuanian residents retain entry rights, however general movement continues suspended.

"This represents our clear message to the neighboring nation stating that asymmetric operations face opposition here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," government officials declared.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from Belarus.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies regarding the aerial device concerns and may discuss activating the NATO consultation clause - a provision enabling alliance discussion regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Flight Cancellations

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns during holiday periods from balloon incidents from Belarus, disrupting air transport and passenger movement, according to Baltic News Service.

Earlier this month, 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: as of 6 October, hundreds of aerial devices documented crossing borders across the frontier in recent months, per government spokesperson comments, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

Other European airports - including in Copenhagen and Munich - faced comparable aviation security challenges, including drone sightings, over past months.