MINSK, December 5. /TASS/. Belarus has drawn attention of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to the recent incident at Lithuania’s Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, expressing serious concern about the potential transborder consequences of such events, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry reported.

According to the ministry, Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Sekreta met with IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi in Vienna. The sides discussed efforts to ensure nuclear safety at the regional level.

"The Deputy Minister drew his counterpart's attention to the recent incident at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, noting Belarus's serious concern about the potential transborder consequences of such events, as well as the lack of prompt notification required by international and bilateral obligations," the statement reads. According to the ministry, the Belarusian Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized the importance of ensuring transparency and timely exchange of information in the area of nuclear safety. Grossi, for his part, emphasized the importance of consistent compliance with international obligations by all countries.

In addition, the officials discussed current areas of cooperation and prospects for further work, and exchanged views on key issues on the international agenda. The Deputy Minister informed the Director General of Belarus’ plans to expand nuclear generation in line with the projected growth in energy consumption in the country, emphasizing interest in further strengthening cooperation with the IAEA at all stages of the nuclear energy program.

Sekreta noted the importance of Minsk's partnership with the agency, which began with projects to restore territories affected by the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster, and praised the IAEA's contribution to the implementation of these programs. "[The Deputy Foreign Minister] drew attention to the document signed in August 2025 on practical arrangements between the IAEA and the Polesie State Radiation-Ecological Reserve, which conducts unique radiation monitoring, scientific research of importance to the entire international community, and work to restore contaminated territories," the press service reported.

The ministry said in a statement earlier that the "lack of transparency is particularly cynical given Lithuania’s persistent demands for openness concerning the Belarusian NPP." "We are witnessing a textbook case of double standards: imposing maximum demands on others over fictitious issues, while disregarding our own responsibilities." The Belarusian Foreign Ministry firmly insisted that Lithuania immediately release full details about the Ignalina incident and urged the country to adhere strictly to all its international obligations.

The Belarusian diplomat thanked the IAEA for its support in strengthening nuclear and radiation safety. He noted with satisfaction that the mission to assess the education and training system, which took place in Belarus in November 2025, highly praised the national system for training specialists in radiation safety and the work of specialized institutions, the Foreign Ministry added.

Nuclear power plant incident

A fire broke out at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant on November 25; the blaze was quickly extinguished. No one was injured in the incident. On November 28, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry reported that Minsk had demanded that Lithuania immediately provide full details of the incident. On November 30, the Belarusian Ministry of Emergency Situations received a response from the Baltic republic to its inquiry about the fire at the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant, which is being dismantled.

Commissioned in 1983, the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant—the only nuclear power plant in the Baltic states with Chernobyl-type RBMK reactors—was shut down at the insistence of the European Union in 2009. Previously, no country had undertaken the planned decommissioning of a plant of this type. The decommissioning project is mainly financed by the EU. Lithuania postponed its completion date from 2029 to 2038 due to the complexity of the process.