According to an official for Finland’s grid operator, Russia interrupted power supplies to Finland overnight after its energy business RAO Nordic threatened to shut off supply due to payment arrears.

“It’s at zero right now, and it started at midnight as scheduled,” Timo Kaukonen, Fingrid’s manager of operational planning, said.

Timo Kaukonen stated that the supplies had been “nil since midnight.” RAO Nordic said on Friday that it will cease deliveries due to payment issues, as Helsinki prepared to submit its candidacy for NATO membership in the aftermath of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

RAO Nordic said on Friday that it will cease deliveries due to payment issues, as Helsinki prepared to submit its candidacy for NATO membership in the aftermath of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

RAO Nordic claims it has not been paid for power since May 6, but does not specify if this is due to European sanctions imposed on Russia.

The Russian incursion on February 24 has swayed political and popular opinion in Finland and Sweden in favour of NATO membership as a deterrence to Russian aggression.

Both nations have long worked with the Western military alliance and are likely to join it soon.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has stated repeatedly that they will be welcomed “with open arms.”