Lithuania said on Saturday it had disconnected its electricity system from Russia's power grid, part of a plan which the three Baltic states say will integrate them more closely with the European Union and boost security.

Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia have disconnected from Russia's power grid, which is a move that leaders say will save them from "geopolitical blackmail."

The Baltic states on Saturday began cutting ties with Russia's power grid in order to integrate with Europe's system, a years-long process that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

The three Baltic states disconnected their electricity systems from Russia's power grid on Saturday, the region's operators said, part of a plan designed to integrate the countries more closely with the European Union and boost security.

The Baltic states of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are bracing themselves for possible retaliation as they decouple from Russia’s power grid this weekend.

The Baltic states are set to sever ties with Russia's power grid that date back to the 1950s, and instead integrate further with the European Union, as the suspected sabotage of subsea cables has spurred efforts to strengthen regional security.

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.

Screen indicates that on February 8 the Baltic States will disconnect from the Russian electricity grid in Vilnius, Lithuania, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.

Lithuania has warned of potential risks linked to the change, including possible cyber attacks, which will happen Saturday morning.