VILNIUS, Lithuania — The electrical connection between the Baltic nations—Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania—and Russia was officially cut off on Saturday morning. Officials turned off the last transmission lines from the Soviet era, paving the way for the Baltics to integrate into the European energy grid the following day. This significant decision marks the end of the Baltic countries’ last remnants of reliance on Russia, a major oil and gas supplier, more than 30 years after the Soviet Union’s dissolution.
“This is a moment of full control over the Baltic energy system,” stated Lithuania’s Energy Minister, Žygimantas Vai?i?nas, during a press briefing. The disconnection process involved progressively turning off the remaining power lines linking the Baltics with Russia, Belarus, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, located between Poland and Lithuania and bordered by the Baltic Sea. Lithuania began the process, where, to commemorate the event, a specially crafted 9-meter-high clock in downtown Vilnius counted down the final moments. Subsequently, Latvia followed suit, and Estonia was the last to disconnect.
After being separated from the Soviet-era infrastructure, the Baltic Power System will function independently for 24 hours. If everything proceeds as planned, the system is scheduled to connect with European energy networks on Sunday, facilitated by several links to Finland, Sweden, and Poland. A ceremonial event is anticipated for Sunday evening in Vilnius, attended by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with the presidents of Poland and the Baltic states, and other notable dignitaries.
Since they gained independence from the USSR in 1990, the Baltic states—now NATO members—have maintained tense relations with Russia. These ties worsened following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Over the years, sixteen power lines linking the Baltic nations to Russia and Belarus have been dismantled as an alternative grid integrated them with broader EU systems, which includes underwater cables in the Baltic Sea.
“This disconnect represents our definitive separation from any dependency on Russian and Belarusian energy systems,” affirmed Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus?da in a prior interview. The Baltic states share a combined border of 1,633 kilometers (1,015 miles) with Russia and Belarus, and they notified Moscow and Minsk about the disconnection plans in 2024 to mitigate potential threats or backlash.
“We have an agreement with the Russians detailing the disconnection procedure,” stated Rokas Masiulis, CEO of Litgrid, during a press conference on Saturday. The leaders of the three countries assured their citizens that the transition would be seamless, yet they implemented extra security measures to deter any potential provocations. In Latvia, the National Armed Forces and the National Guard were put on heightened alert as a precaution. Fortunately, no incidents were reported on Saturday morning. In the case of the Kaliningrad region, which lacks land connections to Russia, it is said to have developed its own power generation capabilities according to Litgrid’s reports.
