After the disconnection plans were announced, propaganda campaigns cropped up on social media and in printed leaflets in city streets that issued fake-news warnings about blackouts, severe energy shortages and sky-high energy bills for consumers.

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are still connected to Russia's electricity grid, but that's going to change soon in another sign of their confidence in the EU. With the move they turn the page on their Soviet past.

Nearly 3 1/2 decades after leaving the Soviet Union, the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania this weekend will flip a switch to end electricity-grid connections to neighboring Russia and Belarus.

The Baltic states are disconnecting from the Russian power grid and joining the Continental European grid, marking a historic move towards energy independence and security.

Deep Background: It has been a long journey. The Baltic countries first signaled their readiness to join the continental grid back in 2007 and then applied in 2018. Last year, they informed Moscow and Minsk that they would leave the Brell agreement that has kept them in IPS/UPS.

Baltic states Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia are to disconnect from the Russian power grid on Saturday, a politically-charged move that severs their Soviet-era energy ties with Moscow.

The Baltic states' departure from the shared electricity system with Russia and synchronization with the mainland European grid strengthens Estonia's security, said Kalle Kilk, chairman of the management board of Estonia's system operator Elering,