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Authorities have decided to shoot down aerial devices transporting cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, the country's leader announced.

The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace forced Vilnius Airport to close repeatedly in recent days, affecting holiday travel, with the government also closing cross-border movement during each incident.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely in response to the helium weather balloons.

According to official declarations, "our nation stands prepared to implement maximum response protocols against airspace violations."

Official Measures

Announcing the actions at a press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" to intercept unauthorized devices.

About the border closure, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues 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 the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted within our territory, and we'll implement maximum countermeasures to prevent similar incidents," government officials declared.

There has been no immediate response from Minsk officials.

Diplomatic Measures

Authorities will discuss with international allies regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of the NATO consultation clause - a provision enabling alliance discussion on any issue of concern, specifically concerning defense matters - officials noted.

Travel Impacts

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns at the weekend due to weather balloons originating from neighboring territory, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, per transportation authority data.

Earlier this month, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, leading to 30 flight cancellations affecting 6,000 passengers, Lithuania's National Crisis Management Centre told the BBC.

These incidents continue previous patterns: as of 6 October, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from neighboring territory during current year, according to official statements, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

Other European airports - including in Copenhagen and Munich - faced comparable aviation security challenges, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, during current period.