Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė announced on 27 October plans to close the country’s border with Belarus indefinitely, except for limited exceptions, and authorized the military to shoot down balloons crossing the border. This decision follows multiple incursions by balloons, often containing contraband cigarettes, that forced the closure of the Vilnius Airport and disrupted flights. The incidents occurred amid Europe being on high alert after multiple recent incursions by drones and aircraft into NATO airspace. PM Ruginienė mentioned the action is a ‘united, resolute’ response against airspace violations.