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The Baltic nation plans to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting illicit goods from 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, while authorities suspended Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

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

According to official declarations, "we are ready to take maximum response protocols when our airspace is violated."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "all necessary measures" to eliminate aerial threats.

Concerning border measures, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues across the international border, while European Union nationals and Lithuanian residents retain entry rights, however general movement continues suspended.

"Through these actions, we communicate to the neighboring nation declaring that unconventional threats won't be accepted here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," the Prime Minister emphasized.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from Minsk officials.

Alliance Coordination

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners regarding the aerial device concerns while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a request for consultation by a Nato member country on any issue of concern, particularly involving territorial protection - the Prime Minister concluded.

Flight Cancellations

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, according to Baltic News Service.

During the current month, multiple aerial devices crossed into Lithuanian airspace, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, per national security agency reports.

This situation represents ongoing challenges: through early October, 544 balloons were recorded entering Lithuania from Belarus this year, according to official statements, while 966 were recorded last year.

Regional Situation

Additional aviation facilities - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, with unauthorized drone observations, during current period.