ISTANBUL

Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has vowed to take “all possible measures” after flights at Vilnius Airport were again suspended over security concerns caused by suspected smuggler balloons launched from neighboring Belarus.

"Hybrid attacks are continuing. Once again, operations at Vilnius Airport have stopped, causing major inconvenience for passengers. We will respond with all possible measures," Nauseda said on Thursday.

He said the country’s response would include “kinetic measures,” noting that the armed forces have the capability to act against such threats, LRT News reported.

“Destroying balloons is not simple—it requires great precision. I believe our military will soon find the most appropriate and safest solution,” he added.

Lithuania accuses Belarus of being complicit in using smuggler balloons to transport illegal goods, particularly cigarettes, across the border.

Nauseda said the activity poses risks to aviation safety and benefits the Belarusian regime.

“Unfortunately, smuggling remains a major problem. It encourages criminals to continue using methods that endanger aviation safety and cause significant losses. Ultimately, the Belarusian regime profits from this,” he said.

Vilnius has already closed its two remaining border checkpoints with Belarus as part of efforts to pressure Minsk.

“The closed border reflects the current state of our relations. We know the regime is interested in continuing smuggling and testing Lithuania’s patience. But we have our own tools, including national and EU sanctions, and we will use them, raising the temperature as much as needed,” Nauseda said.

Over the past week, operations at Vilnius Airport were halted four times because of similar incidents, while Kaunas Airport was also temporarily closed once.

Lithuanian authorities describe the repeated balloon incursions as part of "hybrid attacks" aimed at destabilizing the country and testing its defenses, amid already tense relations between Vilnius and Minsk.

Earlier this month, the national crisis management center reported “tens of balloons” were detected, with the Vilnius airport previously closed when 25 balloons entered the airspace.