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Baltic countries disconnected from Russia's power grid

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Baltic countries disconnected from Russia's power grid
A photo taken on February 8, 2025, shows the power substation in Rezekne, Latvia, before the disconnection of the major power line between Latvia and Russia. (Photo by Gints Ivuskans / AFP via Getty Images)

Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania disconnected their energy systems from Russia's electric power grid on Feb. 8 in "another historic day for European integration," the Estonian Foreign Ministry said.

"This legacy of occupation meant that Moscow - which uses energy as a weapon - had control of the frequency," the ministry said in a statement on X.

"That’s a critical element in maintaining reliable power supply. That dependency ends today!"

The Lithuanian Energy Ministry said in July 2024 that the Baltic countries would fully synchronize with the continental European electricity grid in February 2025.  

Earlier in February, Latvian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas said in an interview that his country is ready for technical difficulties and possible sabotages during the synchronization process.

Ukraine also disconnected itself from the Russian energy grid in February 2022, when Moscow launched its full-scale invasion.

"We stopped buying electricity & gas from Russia right after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine," the Estonian Foreign Ministry said in its Feb. 8 statement.

"By making our whole energy system independent of Russia, the Kremlin loses another lever of power to use against Europe."

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By infiltrating Ukrainian positions in small infantry groups, Russia has accumulated around 200 troops within Pokrovsk, the General Staff reported. These personnel are engaging in "intense" small arms and drone clashes with Ukrainian troops in the city.

While Ukraine also lacks Western-supplied weapons, soldiers and commanders say shortages of basics — cars, drones and people — make holding back Russia extremely difficult. Even as Kyiv seeks U.S. approval for Tomahawks, they say critical, rudimentary gear is the more pressing need.

Russia faces an increase in the arson and “spontaneous combustion” of electrical panels, railway relay cabinets, and other infrastructure helping Moscow wage its war against Ukraine over the past week, a source at Ukraine’s military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

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