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How did the failed Soviet coup attempt in August 1991 help the Baltic states become independent?

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Map of the Baltic States-Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania-showing country borders, major uplands and plains, highest points, and the capitals Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius. Surrounding countries and bodies of water, including Russia, Belarus, Poland, Finland, Sweden, the Baltic Sea, and the Gulf of Finland, are also labeled. — Baltic states The Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The failed Soviet coup attempt in August 1991 was a pivotal event that accelerated the restoration of sovereignty for the Baltic states.

Prior to the coup, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania had already declared the reestablishment of their independence in 1990, but these declarations were rejected by Moscow, leading to economic blockades and military intimidation, including violence in Vilnius and Riga in early 1991.1

The August coup, orchestrated by hard-line elements seeking to halt Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms and preserve the Soviet power structure, ultimately collapsed. This failure fundamentally weakened the central authority in Moscow, creating the political opening necessary for the Baltic states to finalize their independence. Following the coup's defeat, the international community rapidly recognized the sovereignty of the three nations, and they were admitted to the United Nations in September 1991. Furthermore, the U.S.S.R. itself formally acknowledged the illegality of their 1940 incorporation and recognized their status as independent states.1