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Authorities have decided to eliminate helium balloons carrying cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, the country's leader announced.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, accompanied by temporary closures of Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

International border access continues restricted in response to the helium weather balloons.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "we are ready to take the strictest possible measures during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

Official Measures

Announcing the actions at a press conference, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel across the international border, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, however general movement continues suspended.

"This represents our clear message to Belarus declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to stop such attacks," she said.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

International Consultation

Authorities will discuss with international allies about the security challenges presented with possible discussions about implementing Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country regarding security matters, particularly involving territorial protection - she added.

Travel Impacts

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices originating from neighboring territory, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from neighboring territory during current year, per government spokesperson comments, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

International air travel hubs - such as Scandinavian and German locations - experienced similar aerial disruptions, with unauthorized drone observations, in recent weeks.