Esther Imonmion
Lithuania will begin shooting down balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene announced on Monday, 27 October 2025.
The decision follows multiple airspace incursions by helium-filled weather balloons that forced temporary closures of Vilnius Airport several times over the past week, including during the weekend. Each incident prompted the government to briefly close border crossings with Belarus.
Ruginiene said at a press conference that border checkpoints with Belarus would now remain closed indefinitely in response to the repeated violations.
“We are ready to take even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated,” the prime minister stated. “In this way, we are sending a signal to Belarus that no hybrid attack will be tolerated, and we will take the strictest measures to stop such actions.”
Ruginiene added that the Lithuanian army has been instructed to take “all necessary measures” to shoot down the balloons. Diplomats, EU citizens, and Lithuanians will still be permitted to cross the border, but all other movement is suspended.
The prime minister also noted that Lithuania would consult its allies regarding the threat and might consider invoking NATO’s Article 4, which allows a member state to request consultations on matters concerning its security.
According to the Baltic News Service, Lithuanian airports were closed three times over the weekend due to balloons from Belarus, disrupting 112 flights and affecting over 16,500 passengers. Earlier this month, 25 balloons entered Lithuanian airspace, leading to 30 flight cancellations and impacting 6,000 passengers, according to Lithuania’s National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC).
The NCMC reported that 544 balloons have entered Lithuanian territory from Belarus so far this year, compared with 966 in 2024.
No immediate response has been issued by Belarus.
Other European airports, including those in Copenhagen and Munich, have also recently reported airspace disruptions caused by unidentified drones and balloons.
