Belarusian leader claims Minsk and Moscow have no plans to seize Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant

Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed President of Belarus, has claimed that he "does not understand" why Ukraine is disseminating "fake news" regarding Belarus' plan to take control of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). The Belarusian leader made his claim during a meeting with Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian news agency Sputnik; press service for the IAEA

Details: Grossi plans to visit the NPP in the town of Astravets.

Sputnik reports that during his meeting with Grossi, Lukashenko claimed that neither Belarus nor Russia intends to take control of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant.

The Belarusian leader expressed his confusion over Ukraine's dissemination of "fake news" regarding this issue, asserting that "neither Minsk nor Moscow has such plans".

Quote from Lukashenko: "We do not engage in any adventures. I mention this because our Ukrainian 'comrades' and 'friends' have recently focused considerable media attention on the Chornobyl NPP. They are conveying this information to you that we supposedly want to take over the Chornobyl plant."

Background:

• In 2020, the Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant, the country's first NPP, was officially commissioned. Constructed using a Russian design and funded by Russia, the plant is situated in Hrodna Oblast, just 22 kilometres from the Lithuanian border.
• The construction project faced significant backlash from environmental activists, given that much of Belarus was subjected to radioactive contamination following the Chornobyl disaster. Lithuania also opposed the project, as the power plant is situated merely 50 kilometres from its capital, Vilnius.

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