INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will disconnect from the Russian power grid on Saturday, severing Soviet-era energy ties with their neighbor
to the east.A countdown clock in Lithuania's capital, Vilnius, is marking the hours until the Baltic states join the Western European power
grid."We are now removing Russia's ability to use the electricity system as a tool of geopolitical blackmail," Lithuania's Energy Minister
Zygimantas Vaiciunas told AFP.Officials have planned celebrations across the three countries, though some consumers worry about supply
Latvia will physically cut a power line to Russia on Saturday, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to join Baltic
leaders for a ceremony in Vilnius on Sunday."This is the last step in our fight for energy independence
We can finally take matters into our own hands," Vaiciunas said.The Baltic states, once part of the Soviet Union, are now members of the
European Union and NATO, positioned along Russia's western border.They have worked for years to integrate with the European grid but faced
technological and financial hurdles
Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine made the transition more urgent, heightening fears of being targeted.While the Baltic states stopped
purchasing Russian gas and electricity after the invasion, their grids remained connected to Russia and Belarus, with Moscow controlling the
This left them dependent on Russia for power stability, which is crucial for industries and infrastructure.After Saturday, the three
countries will regulate their own supply."So far, Russia has been able to use energy as a weapon, creating the risk of unplanned electricity
disruptions driven by political decisions," Vaicunas said.After disconnecting from the Russian grid at 0700 GMT on Saturday, the Baltic
states will operate in an "isolated mode" for about 24 hours to test their frequency stability."We need to carry out some tests to ensure
power stations on and off, monitor frequency fluctuations, and assess their ability to control them, Masiulis said.The three states will
then integrate into the European grid via Poland."In simple terms, the only change will be that our frequency will start fluctuating in sync
with Europe," Masiulis said.Lithuania has warned of potential risks during the transition, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns,
and possible physical threats to critical infrastructure."Various short-term risks are possible, such as kinetic operations against critical
infrastructure, cyber-attacks and disinformation campaigns," the country's state security department told AFP in a statement.Poland's power
grid operator, PSE, said it will use helicopters and drones to monitor the connection with Lithuania.The Baltic region has seen a series of
undersea telecom and power cable disruptions in recent months
Some analysts and politicians have accused Russia of conducting hybrid warfare, allegations Moscow denies.A total of 1.6 billion euros ($1.7
billion) has been invested in the synchronization project across the Baltic states and Poland.Vaiciunas said consumers should not experience
disruptions during the transition
Still, concerns over power cuts have driven up generator sales in Estonia."January sales numbers show a clear rise in interest towards
generators," Margo Pruunlep, sales and marketing director at home improvement store Ehituse ABC, told AFP.Priit Vaio, director of corporate
sales and e-commerce at Bauhof, said that generator sales rose several dozen times in January compared to the same period last
year.Following the Baltic states' grid shift, Russia's Kaliningrad exclave will lose its connection to mainland Russia's power
system.Kaliningrad has spent years building up its own power generation capacity, and the Kremlin has downplayed concerns."We have taken all
measures to ensure the uninterrupted reliable operation of our unified energy system," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said last week.
