Lithuania’s Public Security Service (VST) on Wednesday started protecting the Alytus switchyard and transformer substation of the LitPol Link power interconnection with Poland, through which the Baltic power grids are set to synchronise with the Continental European network in February.
The VST was initially scheduled to take over the protection of these facilities from a private security company in April. However, in early January, the government approved the Interior Ministry’s proposal to expedite this transition.
The move came ahead of the Baltic grids’ planned disconnection from the Russia-controlled IPS/UPS system and synchronisation with the Continental European network on February 8. It also reflects heightened security concerns in the Baltic Sea region following incidents where electricity and communications cables were damaged.
Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has said that synchronisation with the European system is vital not only for the energy sector but also for national security, and stressed the importance of protecting this infrastructure in the face of “very clear and unambiguous” attempts by hostile countries to disrupt this process.
Earlier in January, the VST started protecting Litgrid’s Lithuanian Power System Control and Data Centre, and the Lithuanian Power Plant in Elektrėnai. Starting in April, it will also take over the security of the NordBalt interconnection infrastructure in Klaipėda.
Over Christmas, the EstLink 2 underwater cable, which sends electricity between Finland and Estonia, was damaged in a suspected act of sabotage, along with four other telecommunications cables in the same area.
The Eagle S tanker, believed to be involved in the sabotage, is reportedly part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”, which transports Russian crude oil and petroleum products to circumvent sanctions on Moscow.
Experts and politicians have said the recent attacks targeting critical infrastructure are part of Russia’s hybrid war against Western nations.
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