Lithuania plans to use drones against balloons coming from Belarus, which smugglers use to transport goods, Lithuanian Defense Minister Laurinas Kaschunas said today, quoted by DPA and BTA.
Lithuania will use the drones to detect the balloons and, if necessary, shoot them down, Kasčunas explained.
The minister added that during an exercise over the weekend, the ability of a Lithuanian drone to detect a balloon and shoot it down was demonstrated.
Last week, weather balloons from Belarus carrying boxes of contraband cigarettes landed at military bases in Lithuania on two separate days.
A similar incident occurred at the airport in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, late last month, sparking a public debate about the safety of balloons.
From a military point of view, the balloons are considered harmless, but the border services do not have the legal competence and the necessary equipment to bring them down. Legal changes are currently being discussed, as some politicians believe that the entry of these objects into Lithuanian airspace threatens the safety of aviation.
The use of weather balloons to smuggle cigarettes from Belarus is not a new phenomenon, DPA notes.
According to the Lithuanian authorities, last month alone, around 250 balloons entered Lithuanian airspace illegally.