Now, this is a tricky one regarding long-haul pilots. First of all, I don't think SAS will can them. Second, if they are looking to fill the slots with Latvians and Estonians, periodically Ryanair run prominent ads in newspapers trying to steal away pilots from airBaltic and Estonian Air. They are suceeding. Just looking at the airBaltic web page today, they are looking for pilots.
Even here things have changed a lot, just listening from the pilot announcements during the flight. Since a couple of years ago, these announcements have become completely incomprehensive in whatever language you are proficient in. What does that tell you?
If this is the idea to take these pilots flying for the airlines in the Baltics (not Latvians, or Latvian-Russians, or Estonians) but that are employed by these airlines from other far flung countries and who have an operating license to fly a B737-500, I have deep concerns that these same people will fill the function of a long-haul pilot on SAS commanding an A340. Who will pay for his upgrade to that particular class of aircraft and who will pay for his language lessons so that the sausages in the rear will feel comfortable on his flight.