Lukashenko responds to claims of Belarus, Russia planning to seize Chornobyl NPP

This was reported by the Belarusian edition of Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik.

During a meeting with Grossi, Lukashenko supposedly stated that neither Belarus nor Russia has any intention of taking control of Chornobyl.

"We are not rushing into any ventures," Lukashenko said, responding to media reports from Ukraine about the Chornobyl plant. "They are suggesting that I want to seize it."

He also emphasized that Belarus has "suffered enough" from the aftermath of the Chornobyl disaster, noting that the "main disaster" impacted a quarter of Belarusian territory, and the country is still grappling with its consequences.

• On September 16, the spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, said that the presence of Russian troops on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border is not recorded, but Ukraine must be prepared for any scenario.