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.

More than 30 years after leaving the Soviet Union, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will join the EU's grid.

The Baltic states will sever the last major energy link to Russia and become part of the EU’s electricity network on Sunday, at a time of deepening fears of further sabotage to critical cables. Estonia,

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.

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. Estonia,