A plume of white steam seen over Vilnius turned out to be steam from a Belarusian nuclear plant 50 km away, officials say is non‑radioactive.
Lithuania. Unusual sight in Vilnius
What appeared in Vilnius as smoke was actually a plume of steam rising from the Belarusian nuclear power plant in Ostrovka, located 50 km from the city. Lithuanian nuclear energy specialists reassured people that there was no reason to panic. The phenomenon originated from the plant’s cooling tower and was highly visible due to weather conditions. The State Nuclear Safety Inspectorate informed that the visible steam clouds above the cooling towers are not radioactive and pose no danger to people or the environment.
Lithuanian authorities reassure residents
The Lithuanian Radiation Safety Center also reassured that there was no danger, reminding that the country’s radiation level is monitored 24/7 through an early warning system. In case of any threat, residents would be notified immediately. The Ostrovka nuclear plant sits just across the border with Lithuania. Its first unit began operation in 2020. Lithuanian politicians have long emphasized that the facility meets international safety standards and poses no potential risk to Lithuania.
Visit of Lithuania’s Prime Minister in Warsaw
Security, economy, and border protection issues are the main topics slated for discussion during the visit of Lithuania’s new prime minister, Inga Rūgiene, to Warsaw. A meeting with Prime Minister Donald Tusk is scheduled for 14:30. Before taking office in September, Rūgiene had announced that her first foreign visits would be to Ukraine and Poland, noting that both countries are strategic partners of Vilnius. On Monday, the Lithuanian premier was in Kiev, where she met Ukrainian authorities. In Warsaw she aims to discuss, among other things, joint strengthening of regional defense. “We need a common, strong strategic direction so that our shared—also with the other two Baltic states—border region is adequately reinforced,” she declared before the visit. “We are a border of the European Union that must develop and be strengthened. Investment in this region guarantees the safety of the entire Community,” added the Lithuanian prime minister.
