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The Baltic nation plans to shoot down helium balloons carrying illicit goods from Belarus, its prime minister has warned.

This action responds after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace forced Vilnius Airport to close on several occasions recently, affecting holiday travel, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time.

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

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

Official Measures

Outlining the strategy to media, the Prime Minister confirmed military forces were implementing "complete operational protocols" to shoot down balloons.

Regarding frontier restrictions, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, though all other travel remains prohibited.

"This represents our clear message to foreign authorities stating that asymmetric operations face opposition here, and we will take all the strictest measures to halt these operations," she said.

Authorities received no prompt reaction from the neighboring government.

Diplomatic Measures

Lithuania plans to consult its allies over the threat posed from the balloons and may discuss activating Nato's Article 4 - a protocol allowing member state consultation about national security issues, specifically concerning defense matters - the Prime Minister concluded.

Travel Impacts

Aviation hubs faced multiple shutdowns at the weekend due to weather balloons crossing the international border, impacting over hundred flights and thousands of travelers, based on regional media reports.

Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuania from Belarus, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, per national security agency reports.

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

International Perspective

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