Lithuania will shoot down smuggling balloons: PM

 
Lithuania will begin to shoot down balloons used to smuggle cigarettes from neighbouring Belarus, its Prime Minister has warned. The measure comes after balloons entering Lithuanian airspace forced Vilnius Airport to close multiple times over the past week, including at the weekend, with the government also closing Belarus border crossings temporarily each time, reports BBC.

Border checkpoints will now be closed indefinitely in response to the helium weather balloons. Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said "we are ready to take even the most severe actions when our airspace is violated".

Announcing the actions at a press conference on Monday, Ruginiene said the army was taking "all necessary measures" to shoot down balloons.
About the border closure, Ruginiene said diplomats will still be able to travel between the two countries, 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 Belarus and saying that no hybrid attack will be tolerated here, and we will take all the strictest measures to stop such attacks," she said.

>>Agency