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The Baltic nation plans to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting illicit goods from Belarus, government officials confirmed.

This decision follows after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, accompanied by temporary closures of Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

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

The government leader stated, "authorities will not hesitate to employ maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to intercept unauthorized devices.

About the border closure, officials noted embassy personnel maintain access across the international border, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to foreign authorities stating that asymmetric operations face opposition here, and we will take all the strictest measures to stop such attacks," government officials declared.

Official communications saw no quick answer from the neighboring government.

Alliance Coordination

Lithuania plans to consult its allies about the security challenges presented while potentially considering invocation of the alliance's consultation mechanism - a protocol allowing member state consultation regarding security matters, specifically concerning defense matters - she added.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times at the weekend due to weather balloons crossing the international border, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, per transportation authority data.

In recent weeks, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: as of 6 October, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

Other European airports - such as Scandinavian and German locations - have also been affected by air incursions, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, during current period.