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Authorities have decided to eliminate aerial devices transporting illicit goods from Belarus, its prime minister has warned.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, while authorities suspended Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

According to official declarations, "our nation stands prepared to implement the strictest possible measures when our airspace is violated."

Official Measures

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel between the two countries, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"This represents our clear message to Belarus declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted here, and we will take all the strictest measures to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

Authorities will discuss with international allies about the security challenges presented while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns at the weekend due to weather balloons from Belarus, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre told the BBC.

This situation represents ongoing challenges: by autumn measurements, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from neighboring territory during current year, an NCMC spokesman said, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

Other European airports - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, over past months.