The Baltic States Finally Leave The Soviet Union Behind
By Rikard Jozwiak, RFERL
“This coming weekend it will finally happen. The three Baltic states -- Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania -- will disconnect on February 8 from the IPS/UPS electricity transmission grid that links Russia, Belarus, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. The following day, the three countries will join the synchronous grid of Continental Europe (the UCTE grid), which includes most European countries, from Portugal in the west to Ukraine and Turkey in the east.”
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“For the Baltic countries, this move, known as the "Baltic Synchro," is a historic moment. It means that they, not Moscow, will be able to better manage and control their own electricity supplies. Diplomats from the Baltic region that I have spoken to see the move as shaking off the last vestiges of the Soviet era, comparing it to when Soviet troops left the countries in the 1990s.”
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“Envisaged to initially happen at the end of 2025, the "Baltic Synchro" was brought forward by nearly 11 months, in large part due the war in Ukraine and the Baltic countries' desire to become completely independent from potential Russian energy blackmail.”
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“Regardless, the Baltic countries will remain vulnerable. There are thousands of kilometers of overhead power lines, hundreds of substations, and it is physically impossible to protect everything. Although, as one Baltic diplomat optimistically said, there are enough connections and reserves to ‘operate in island mode without major inconvenience’.”
https://www.rferl.org/a/baltic-states-electricity-grid-russia-latvia-lithuania-estonia/33301785.html
"The Baltics have been getting ready for this moment for two decades." - CNN
Elering executives: Estonia’s electricity system is ready for desynchronization
By Toomas Pott, ERR
“The risk level during this transition is low, meaning Estonians should not be concerned about switching from one electrical system to another. The desynchronization process will begin in Lithuania, where connections to Kaliningrad and Belarus will be cut. By 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 8, all three Baltic states should be disconnected from the Russian and Belarusian grid (BRELL.) After that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania will temporarily operate as an energy island, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.”
https://news.err.ee/1609597088/elering-estonia-s-electricity-system-is-ready-for-desynchronization
Baltic states unplug from Russia’s power grid, but Moscow still looms over critical infrastructure
By Justina Budginaite-Froehly
(Atlantic Council)
“This will conclude the final chapter of Russia’s involvement in the energy sectors of these frontline EU and NATO member states. But the Baltic states and their NATO allies must now work to secure this hard-won energy independence from Russia’s ongoing hybrid attacks on critical energy infrastructure. …”
“How disinformation about BRELL spread in the Baltic States.” - BNN
“Baltics prepare for cyberattacks as they depart Russian electricity grid.” - Politico Europe
“Elektrivõrgu ümberühendamise teelt kadusid suured ohud.” - Postimees
“Estonia does not exclude Russian provocations due to disconnection from Russian energy system.” - Ukrainska Pravda
Kaitseliit ja politsei alustasid täna elektrialajaamade kaitseoperatsiooni
Andrus Karnau, Postimees ajakirjanik
“Kaitseliit ja politsei võtsid täna, so kolmapäeval mehitatud kaitse alla riigi tähtsama elektritaristu: alajaamad ja olulisemad kõrgepingeliinid. Postimehe korrespondent Ilja Smirnov teatas, et Narvas oli kolmapäeval tavapärasest palju rohkem märgata politseinikke ja alarmsõidukeid. Politsei kaardistas koos kliimaministeeriumiga üle Eesti üle 40 objekti, mille mõju elektrivarustusele on kõige suurem. Osad neist objektidest on lisatud politsei patrullteekonnale, osadel tagab politsei koos kaitseliiduga mehitatud valve. Ühes ööpäevas on kaasatud umbes 120 kaitseliitlast,» ütles politsei pressiesindaja Leeni Almosen.”
“Politsei peatas Harku alajaama ees kahtlase valge kaubiku.” - Õhtuleht
Spinning megamachines will safeguard the Baltic power grid as it desynchronizes
By Peter Fairley
(IEEE Spectrum, 11. Nov. 2023)
“A technical lynchpin to their planned escape from the Moscow-controlled synchronous AC power zone is a constellation of synchronous condensers: free-spinning and fuel-free electrical generators whose sole purpose is to stabilize and protect power grids. … Synchronous condensers are essentially generators that, in normal operation, are spun by an AC grid’s power and synced to its frequency (rather than driven by their own fuel). When power plants or transmission lines shut down unexpectedly, the momentum in their spinning mass offers an instantaneous supply of energy that cushions the blow, thus protecting equipment and preventing outages.”
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“Russia and Belarus built new lines to strengthen their own grids. And Russia built four gas-fired power plants and a liquefied-natural-gas import terminal in Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave on the Baltic Sea sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania. By 2021 they had built the infrastructure and proved that Kaliningrad can operate independently. That put Russia in a position to disrupt Baltic power without risk of blacking-out its own territory.”
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“By the middle of 2022, the Baltics forged a protocol for “emergency synchronization,” by which it can switch to Europe’s grid in a matter of hours if necessary. The emergency plan calls for activation of transformers at the Polish-Lithuanian border, converting the country’s HVDC link to an AC interconnection, and provision of extra frequency regulation via plants in Sweden and Finland.”
https://spectrum.ieee.org/baltic-power-grid
“FAQ on synchronization of the Baltic states’ power system.” - Elering
“Baltics to cut Soviet-era ties to Russian power grid.” - France24
“Baltic Nations Count Final Hours to Ending Electricity Ties to Russia.” - Newsmax
“EU hails end of Russia ‘blackmail’ as Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, cut power links.” - South China Morning Post
“Baltic States to Cut Energy Ties With Russia This Weekend in Power Grid Switch.” - The Moscow Times
“The synchronization will cost the Baltic state and Poland about 1.6 billion euros, of which Estonia’s share is 298 million euros. The investments will fall into three stages, and due to the high priority status accorded by the European Commission 75% of the funding will come from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). The remaining 25% of the investments needed will come from the Congestion Income Fund, an ad hoc fund established in Estonia.” - Elering’s FAQ page
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Cover map via Elering:
https://elering.ee/en/synchronization-continental-europe
EstoNews On-Line:
https://estonewsoftheweek.blogspot.com/
EstoNews Dropbox Archive:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1kvd04gtar6ty2b/AADCUK2J_RXcMyIYf_sjnAwoa?dl=0
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Eesti President tunnustab 157 inimest
(Postimees)
“Eesti Vabariik tänab iseseisvuspäeva eel oma teenetemärkidega inimesi, kelle pühendumus kutsetööle või kogukondlikule tegevusele on oluline osa Eesti tugevuse ja hakkamasaamise loos. Riigi teenetemärgid pälvib 157 inimest nii Eestist kui ka välismaalt.”
https://www.postimees.ee/8186124/nimekiri-presidendilt-saavad-riigi-teenetemargi-157-inimest
Milanosse tõotab minna Eesti ajaloo suurim talimängude koondis
Karl Juhkami, Postimees ajakirjanik
“Kui Eesti Olümpiakomitee spordidirektor Martti Raju detsembris Milano mängudele ette vaatas, sõnas ta, et jutt käib 25 või enamast sportlasest. Kolm kuud hiljem on olukord aga selline, et väga hea õnne korral võib arv kasvada isegi 37ni. Hetkeseisuga on eestlastel olümpiale pääsemine reaalne 11 spordialal: laskesuusatamine, murdmaasuusatamine, mäesuusatamine, freestyle-suusatamine, lumelauasport, suusahüpped, kahevõistlus, iluuisutamine, kiiruisutamine, kurling ja skeleton.”
British, US, France and Estonian troops play hide and seek in Estonia
(BFBS | DVIDS)
“Exercise Winter Camp is essentially a game of cat and mouse in the Estonian woodland. As the attacking side advances, the enemy lie in wait to intercept them. The fighting in Ukraine has shown just how important armoured vehicles can be in a land war in eastern Europe.”
https://www.forcesnews.com/nato/cavalry-plays-hide-and-seek-nato-allies-estonia-training-area
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Chinese intelligence can easily access Estonian residents' data via apps
(ERR)
“In its recently published cyber security yearbook, The Estonian Information System Authority (RIA) states that China poses a threat to Western countries with cyber-attacks, the creation of technological dependency and data collection. Chinese intelligence services have access to the personal data of Estonian citizens via Chinese-made technology and applications. RIA recorded a record 6,515 cyber incidents with an impact in Estonia in 2024.”
“Estonia experienced 6,515 impactful cyber incidents last year, nearly twice as many as in 2023” - The Baltic Times
Eestis tõstavad pead mürki trotsivad umbrohud
(Novaator)
“Eestis dokumenteeriti esimesed umbrohumürgi ehk herbitsiidi resistentsuse juhtumid. Sarnaselt ülejäänud maailmale kannustab resistentsuse teket laiatoimeliste mürkide liigsagedane kasutus ning tegemist on süveneva probleemiga.”
https://novaator.err.ee/1609594088/eestis-tostavad-pead-murki-trotsivad-umbrohud
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“Soome ja Eesti mereväelased vahetasid teadmisi.” - Eesti Kaitsevägi
“Miljonihanke tagamaad: miks eelistas Eesti Türgi soomukeid.” - Postimees
“Arvamus: Eesti tervishoius on töötajate nappus laialdane, eriti äärealadel.” - Postimees
“A bilateral training event between Estonian and Finnish navy was conducted last week in Tallinn.” - Kaitseväe peastaap
“Two Taiwanese companies donated 1.11 million medical face masks to Ukraine and Estonia for frontline battlefield personnel.” - Focus Taiwan
“Estonian trains testing on Latvian tracks ahead of Rīga-Tartu summer express.” - LSM
“Estonia receives first CAESAR self-propelled howitzers.” - Janes
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Around the Baltic Sea
Finland's eastern border unlikely to reopen anytime soon
(Yle)
“"We have to take a long-term view of what 'back to normal' means. People think of the border as going back to a time when there was a significant flow of tourists and commercial traffic across the eastern border. It was, after all, a rather short phase. The border crossings will certainly be reopened at some point. It is impossible to predict how border traffic will develop, but there will be no return to the peak year of 2012 for traffic between Finland and Russia in the foreseeable future.” - Colonel Marko Saareks of the Kainuu Border Guard.
Baltic States Signal Intention to Increase Defense Spending to Up to 5% of GDP
(The Baltic Sentinel)
“On January 21, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal unexpectedly surprised both his coalition partners and the general public by stating on live national radio that he supports the U.S. president’s proposal for NATO member states to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. Michal also hinted that Estonia would adopt this as its own target. He clarified that he does not support increasing defense spending through tax hikes, but rather advocates for initiating a broader EU debate on joint European funding for border-state defense, arguing that the security of these countries benefits the entire European Union. Under Michal’s leadership, the Estonian government recently already introduced a security tax, a portion of which will be used to procure additional ammunition for the Estonian Defense Forces.”
“Estonian stance at NATO talks calls for defense spending hike next year.” - ERR
“Poland's president vows to spend 4.7% of GDP on defence this year.” - Euronews
US-Baltic Defense Partnerships: A Return on Investment
By MAJ Jacob Myers
(Foreign Policy Research Institute)
“Across the Baltic region, investments in defense infrastructure (both physical and technical) and defense procurements in aviation, long-range fires, and integrated air and missile defense provide valuable opportunities for US forces to enhance their readiness and operational effectiveness. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have focused heavily on their defense funding strategies. …”
https://fpribalticinitiative.substack.com/p/us-baltic-defense-partnerships-a
“Three Decades of Baltic Military Cooperation and the Way Ahead.” - FPRI
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“Lithuania hopes to woo U.S. president with its anti-China stance.” - Politico
“Poland spends big on arms to stay friends with U.S. president.” - Politico
“Finland’s Stubb praises U.S. president for ‘talking tough’ to Putin.” - Helsinki Times
“Finland Moves to Ban Russian Nationals From Buying Property.” - The Moscow Times
“Former NATO head Jens Stoltenberg named Norway's new finance minister.” - Euronews
“Finnish jets patrol Iceland's airspace in Nato operation.” - Yle
“Norra eeldab Vene sabotaaži valgumist peagi ka oma territooriumile.” - Postimees
“Norway Accuses Russia of Planning Sabotage Attacks Against Country.” - Moscow Times
“Sweden: School attack in Örebro - This is what we know.” - Radio Sweden
“Finland publishes info for volunteers mulling to fight for Ukraine.” - DF
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Rapid mobility of troops and equipment across the EU still problematic
(Euronews)
“EU member states are still not moving fast enough to deploy their military personnel, equipment, and assets smoothly due to bottlenecks, red tape, and design flaws in the military mobility action plan, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). … For example, one EU member state currently requires 45 days advance notice to allow cross-border movement. …”
The German political establishment has no idea what war looks like today
By Franz-Stefan Gady, Foreign Policy
“Scholz and much of the German elite seem to have precious little understanding of what a future war with Russia could look like. They appear to grasp neither how a war would be fought, nor the need for preparedness on the home front. This includes dealing with everything from the effects of missile and drone strikes to cyberattacks, assassinations, and widespread sabotage against German civilian and military infrastructure.”
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“Least of all is there an understanding about the destructive potential of any future war. A Russian attack on the Baltic states or Poland, for example, could produce tens of thousands of casualties in the first few days. A war would likely wreak havoc on German seaports, railroads, the power grid, and other critical infrastructure, given Germany’s position as NATO’s central logistics hub and strategic rear area for any war in Eastern Europe.”
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“When it comes to military capabilities, Germany’s leadership does not seem to recognize the changing character of modern warfare. A serious drone program, for example, was only begun after more than a decade of tortuous public debate. Today, warfighting is marked by the proliferation of precision-strike weapons, such as cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, and drones; these are supported by extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities such as satellites and surveillance drones. This shift has major implications for military operations and deterrence.”
https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/01/24/germany-olaf-scholz-war-strategy-russia-ukraine-nato/
Putin’s Forever War
The Ukrainian Army’s Desertion Crisis
(The Guardian)
“The issue of desertion has made headlines in Ukraine. Last week the government launched an investigation into the 155th Mechanised Brigade. Fifty-six soldiers disappeared while training in France. Hundreds of others are said to be missing. The unit’s commander, Dmytro Riumshyn, was arrested. He faces 10 years in jail for failing to carry out his official duties and to report unauthorised absences.”
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“After three years of war, Ukraine is desperately short of soldiers, especially infantry. This has made it easier for Russia’s army to advance in the east. There are structural issues too. New brigades have been built from scratch. They performed poorly. Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, recently ordered a change in policy, with inexperienced recruits integrated into existing battalions.”
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“Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, has been debating how to bring in more recruits. Deserters face between 12 and 15 years in jail. Last summer, deputies abolished criminal penalties for those who voluntarily return to their old battalions, with full benefits restored.”
Russia, Belarus remain banned from ice hockey tournaments until at least 2026
(CBC)
“The IIHF decision on Tuesday covers all world championships and effectively next year's Winter Olympic Games in Italy, although the International Olympic Committee has the final say. "It is not yet safe to reintegrate the Russian and Belarusian national and club teams," the IIHF said, because "the current security conditions do not allow the necessary requirements for the organization of tournaments guaranteeing the safety of all.”
https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/iihf-russia-belarus-bans-hockey-february-4-1.7449854
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“Putin vallandas Roskosmose juhi.” - Postimees
“Putin ousts Yury Borisov as head of Russia’s state space agency.” - Meduza
“Russia’s Population has Declined for Seven Years in a Row.” - Paul Goble
“Russia granting permanent residency to citizens of ‘unfriendly’ countries trying to flee the West.” - Novaya Gazeta
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