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Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting illicit goods from Belarus, government officials confirmed.

This decision follows after foreign objects crossing the border forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, accompanied by temporary closures of cross-border movement during each incident.

Frontier crossing points remain suspended indefinitely due to the ongoing aerial incidents.

According to official declarations, "our nation stands prepared to implement even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, Ruginiene said the army was taking "complete operational protocols" to eliminate aerial threats.

About the border closure, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues for cross-border diplomatic missions, with special provisions for EU and Lithuanian nationals, but no other movement will be allowed.

"This represents our clear message to the neighboring nation and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated across our nation, employing comprehensive defensive actions to prevent similar incidents," she said.

Official communications saw no quick answer from Belarus.

International Consultation

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners regarding the aerial device concerns with possible discussions about implementing the NATO consultation clause - a protocol allowing member state consultation about national security issues, especially related to its security - she added.

Travel Impacts

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

In recent weeks, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, causing dozens of flight disruptions impacting thousands, according to emergency management officials.

The phenomenon is not new: as of 6 October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace across the frontier in recent months, an NCMC spokesman said, compared to higher numbers in prior period.

Regional Situation

Additional aviation facilities - such as Scandinavian and German locations - experienced similar aerial disruptions, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, in recent weeks.