News Summary: Russia hikes Lithuania heating costs

SOARING PRICES: Lithuanians have seen energy prices soar, especially since the shuttering of its only nuclear power plant in 2009, forcing the country to import more Russian gas to keep warm.

FORMER VASSAL: Lithuania's decision to scrap atomic power over safety concerns has put it under a new kind of threat: intimidation from Russia, which critics say shows no hesitation to use its energy dominance to bully former vassal states.

POLITICAL ISSUES: Many Lithuanians feel they are being punished by Russia for unsolved political issues, just as the Kremlin has used gas supplies to goad Ukraine and Belarus over political and economic disputes.