Russia Cuts Finland's Electricity Supply: Finnish Grid Operator

Russia suspended electricity supplies to Finland overnight, an official for Finland's grid operator told AFP on Saturday.

"It is at zero at the moment, and that started from midnight as planned," Timo Kaukonen, manager for operational planning at Fingrid, said.

RAO Nordic had Friday said it would suspend supplies, citing problems with payments, as Helsinki prepares to announce its application for NATO membership in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.

On Thursday, Finnish foreign minister Pekka Haavisto affirmed that his country and Sweden’s joining the NATO would not threaten Russia. “We are peace-loving countries,” President Finish Sauli Niinisto said.

Finland had announced that it will join the military alliance in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the two countries said that they must apply for membership “without delay”.

Commenting on the Finish membership, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that the actions is regrettable and “definitely” a threat to Russia “and a reason for a symmetrical response”.