🔗 Share this article

Authorities have decided to intercept and destroy aerial devices transporting contraband tobacco across the border, government officials confirmed.

This action responds after unauthorized aerial incursions disrupted air traffic multiple times over the past week, with weekend disruptions, while authorities suspended frontier checkpoints during these events.

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

Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said, "we are ready to take even the most severe actions against airspace violations."

Government Response

Announcing the actions at a press conference, officials stated defense units were executing "all necessary measures" to eliminate aerial threats.

Regarding frontier restrictions, the Prime Minister confirmed diplomatic movement continues across the international border, and EU citizens and Lithuanians can enter from Belarus, but no other movement will be allowed.

"In this way, we are sending a signal to foreign authorities and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated 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

The Baltic nation intends to coordinate with partners over the threat posed from the balloons while potentially considering invocation of Nato's Article 4 - a provision enabling alliance discussion regarding security matters, particularly involving territorial protection - she added.

Airport Disruptions

National air facilities experienced triple closures over the weekend because of aerial devices from Belarus, affecting 112 flights and more than 16,500 passengers, according to Baltic News Service.

Earlier this month, several unauthorized objects traversed the border, resulting in numerous canceled flights and passenger inconveniences, per national security agency reports.

The phenomenon is not new: through early October, numerous unauthorized objects tracked entering airspace from neighboring territory during current year, according to official statements, with nearly thousand incidents during previous year.

International Perspective

Other European airports - covering northern and central European sites - faced comparable aviation security challenges, involving unmanned aerial vehicles, over past months.