Baltic nations count final hours to ending electricity ties to Russia

Baltic nations count final hours to ending electricity ties to Russia toggle caption Mindaugas Kulbis/AP VILNIUS, Lithuania — 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 — and turn to their European Union allies. "This is physical disconnection from the last remaining element of our reliance on the Russian and Belarusian energy system," Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told The Associated Press in a recent interview. Sponsor Message Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the disconnection plan was announced in advance by the Baltic countries and the Russian energy sector had taken preparatory steps to ensure smooth operation on its side. Sponsor Message "Actions by Russia -- by them being aggressive and pushing their neighbors -- has really helped us," Masiulis said.