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 so-called Brell power grid - which stands for Belarus, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - is controlled almost entirely by Moscow and has long been seen as a vulnerability for the former Soviet republics, which are now Nato members.

The three Baltic states on Saturday seamlessly cut ties with Russia's power grid to integrate with the European Union's network, a switch that gained urgency with Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. - Mostly EU-funded - After the Baltic states completed the disconnection process on Saturday morning,