NATO's Lithuania has declared a national emergency over smuggling balloons crossing into its airspace from neighboring Belarus, a key ally of Russia.

“It’s clear that this emergency is being declared not only because of disruptions to civil aviation, but also due to national security concerns and the need for closer coordination among institutions,” Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovič said during a cabinet meeting, Lithuania's LRT reported.

This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.

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