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Authorities have decided to shoot down helium balloons carrying illicit goods from Belarus, government officials confirmed.

The measure comes after foreign objects crossing the border disrupted air traffic on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, accompanied by temporary closures of cross-border movement during each incident.

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

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "authorities will not hesitate to employ even the most severe actions against airspace violations."

Government Response

Detailing the measures during a briefing, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "every required action" to shoot down balloons.

About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, but no other movement will be allowed.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions 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 regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of the alliance's consultation mechanism - a protocol allowing member state consultation about national security issues, specifically concerning defense matters - officials noted.

Airport Disruptions

Lithuanian airports were closed three times during holiday periods from balloon incidents originating from neighboring territory, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, according to Baltic News Service.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, per national security agency reports.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, according to official statements, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

European Context

Additional aviation facilities - including in Copenhagen and Munich - have also been affected by air incursions, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, in recent weeks.