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Lithuania will begin to shoot down helium balloons carrying contraband tobacco across the border, its prime minister has warned.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, while authorities suspended cross-border movement during each incident.

International border access continues restricted following repeated balloon incursions.

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "authorities will not hesitate to employ the strictest possible measures during unauthorized aerial intrusions."

Official Measures

Detailing the measures during a briefing, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "all necessary measures" to intercept unauthorized devices.

Regarding frontier restrictions, 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.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to prevent similar incidents," the Prime Minister emphasized.

There has been no immediate response from Belarus.

Alliance Coordination

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners over the threat posed from the balloons and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a protocol allowing member state consultation regarding security matters, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times over the weekend because of aerial devices from Belarus, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, based on regional media reports.

During the current month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, according to emergency management officials.

These incidents continue previous patterns: through early October, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus this year, per government spokesperson comments, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

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