Russia to review 1991 decision to recognise independence of Baltic states Estonia, Latvia and Lithunia were occupied by the Soviet Union for decades Russia is examining the legality of the decision to recognise the independence of the Baltic republics in 1991 by the State Council of the USSR - according to Russia's state news service Interfax. The decision to review recognition of the independence of EU-member Baltic nations follows the Russian Prosecutor General's Office ruling last year that Crimea was illegally handed to Ukraine in 1954; and is certain to alarm the small Baltic NATO-member nations of Lithuania, Latvia and...