Territorial changes of the Baltic states

Territorial changes of the Baltic states refers to the redrawing of borders of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia after 1940.

After a two-front independence war fought against both Bolshevist Russian and Baltic German nationalist forces, the countries concluded peace and border treaties with Soviet Russia in 1920.

However, with World War II and the occupation and annexation of these republics into the Soviet Union twenty years after their independence, certain territorial changes were made in favour of the Russian SFSR.

The main issues are the territories which were part of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the interwar period, but which became incorporated into the Russian SFSR, Byelorussian SSR and Poland after World War II.

In January 1945, some territories of Estonian SSR were ceded to the Russian SFSR: the Russian–Estonian boundary in the north of Lake Peipus was moved westwards by about 12 kilometers from its interwar location (which was delimited by the Treaty of Tartu); the new boundary (which exists up until these days) runs along Narva river.

Overall, about 2,210 km2 of land changed hands, including Ivangorod (Jaanilinn, then eastern suburb of Narva), the town of Pechory (Petseri), and areas in and around Izborsk (Irboska), Lavry (Laura), and Rotovo (Roodva), and the Kolpina Island (Kulkna) in southern Lake Peipus.

Although Poland moved westwards after the war, and now resides over 320 km from the borders of Latvia, traces of its influence continue to remain in Latgale.

In 1940, when Lithuania was incorporated into the Soviet Union, a new boundary was drawn, enlarging the de facto Lithuanian territory, though not to the full extent of the republic's claim.

Main cities that were recognised by Soviets as a part of Lithuania by the 1920 treaty but were not added to Lithuanian SSR include Grodno (Gardinas), Lida (Lyda), Smarhonʹ (Smurgainys), Pastavy (Pastovys), Ashmyany (Ašmena), Braslaw (Breslauja), Suwałki (Suvalkai).

[4] The territories were not returned to the Baltic states after they regained independence and remain parts of Russia, Belarus and Poland.