How did the partitions of Poland lead to Russian rule in Lithuania?

The partitions of Poland, which occurred in 1772, 1793, and 1795, were territorial divisions orchestrated by Russia, Prussia, and Austria that ultimately led to the dissolution of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the imposition of Russian rule over Lithuania.12

• First and Second Partitions: During the first two partitions (1772 and 1793), Russia primarily acquired lands within the Commonwealth that were inhabited by East Slavs, rather than ethnic Lithuanian territories.23
• Third Partition (1795): This final division resulted in the partition of the lands inhabited by ethnic Lithuanians. The majority of these territories were incorporated into the Russian Empire.23
• Consolidation of Control: While some lands southwest of the Nemunas River were initially annexed by Prussia and later became part of the Kingdom of Poland under Russian rule in 1815, the bulk of historic Lithuania fell directly under the control of the Russian tsarist government.23

Following these events, the Russian government treated these regions as an integral part of the empire, implementing policies of Russification that suppressed the Lithuanian language, culture, and administrative autonomy.23