The Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania severed their electricity connection with Russia on Saturday, officially ending their remaining energy ties with the country. This move comes over three decades after the collapse of the Soviet Union and is seen as a significant geopolitical and symbolic step for the Baltic states, solidifying their integration with Europe. The Baltic Power System will operate independently for 24 hours before merging with European energy networks on Sunday.
VILNIUS, Lithuania – The flow of electricity between the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and Russia was officially severed Saturday morning after officials switched off the Soviet-era grid’s transmission lines and prepared to join the rest of Europe on Sunday.
On Saturday, all remaining transmission lines between them and Russia, Belarus and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, wedged between EU members Poland and Lithuania and the sea, were switched off one by one. Lithuania first – where a specially-made 9-meter tall clock in downtown Vilnius counted down the final seconds – then Latvia a few minutes later, followed by Estonia.
The Baltic countries, which are all NATO members, have often had chilly ties with Russia since declaring independence from the USSR in 1990 – and relations soured further over Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The three Baltic countries, which together have a 1,633-kilometer-long border with Russia and Belarus, informed Moscow and Minsk of the disconnection plan in 2024 to head off any hostile reaction.
In Latvia, the National Armed Forces and the National Guard were instructed to carry on their duties in a reinforced mode. No incidents were reported early Saturday.
ENERGY RUSSIA BALTIC STATES EU GEOPOLITICS
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