The ex-Soviet nations warn against sabotage and the threat of cyber attack because they reduce electrical links with Moscow to connect to the EU network.
The three Baltic States have reduced links with Russia’s electrical network as part of an energy security plan that will see them integrate into the European Union network.
Network operators in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Saturday morning, announced that they had hated their electricity systems from the Brell network, which includes Russia and Bélarus. This decision comes while the three former Soviets of the Moscow assault states in Moscow in Ukraine.
“We are now deleting Russia’s ability to use the electricity system as a geopolitical blackmail tool,” said Lithuanian energy minister Zygimantas Viciunas.
The three countries will operate in “isolated fashion” for about 24 hours before synchronizing with the EU grid via Poland on Sunday.
“We have to carry out tests to ensure Europe that we are a stable energy system,” said Rokas Masiulis, head of the Lithuanian state grid operator Litgrid, who was the first of the balts to go out of the Russian grid at 7: 43h (05:43 GMT).
The long -standing plan for integration into the European grid has grown after the annexation of Crimea by Moscow in 2014 and was accelerated by the invasion of Russia from Ukraine In 2022, and the use of its role as a large supplier of oil, gas and electricity caused an energy crisis in Europe.
More recently, there has been a series of suspect sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea in which vital infrastructure, including electricity and gas, have been affected.
The former Soviet states, which joined the EU and NATO in 2004, were considered an “energy island” within the European block, but worked hard to connect their systems.
They quickly stopped buying Russian energy after the war broke out in Ukraine, but their electrical networks were still linked to Russia and Bélarus on a network controlled by Moscow.
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will constantly disconnect from the Russian electricity network tomorrow.
Russia can no longer use energy as a blackmail tool.
It is a victory for freedom and European unity.
– Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) February 7, 2025
The head of the EU foreign policy, Kaja Kallas – the former Prime Minister of Estonia – described the decision to “victory for freedom and European unity”, and official celebrations are provided for through the Balts.
However, the authorities warned against potential risks, including sabotage, cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns.
“Various short -term risks are possible, such as kinetic operations against critical infrastructure, cyber attacks and disinformation campaigns,” the state security department of Lithuania said at the news agency AFP.
Poland operator Power Grid PSE said he would use helicopters and drones to patrol the connection with Lithuania.
President Latton Edgars Rinkevics told the LTV1 public television station that “possible provocations” could not be excluded.
An army truck was seen in the Rezekne Power sub-station near the Latvia-Russia border, and armed officers patrolled nearby.
The authorities wanted to emphasize, however, after the switch, everything worked well.
“The system is stable, the process occurs smoothly, no one notices that something has changed,” said Reuters News Agency Latton Energy Minister Kaspars Melnis.
