Latvia–Russia border
A border between Latvia and Russia’s Pskov region, settled only in 2007, when Latvia gave up its claim to the Pytalovo district that had been Latvian before the Second World War. It is now NATO’s frontier with Russia, fenced along most of its length and being fortified with anti-tank ditches.
Written from cited sourcesLast checked 29 September 2026Suggest a correction
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Pytalovo
Under a 1920 treaty, the district of Pytalovo, now in Russia’s Pskov region, was part of Latvia. When the two countries prepared to sign a border treaty in 2005, Latvia added a reference to that treaty and the signing collapsed. In February 2007 Latvia’s parliament passed a law giving up territorial claims against Russia, and on 27 March 2007 the two prime ministers signed the treaty in Moscow; NATO and the EU welcomed it.[2]
Fence and ditches
A fence first went up around the busy Terehova crossing, on the highway to Moscow, in 2019 to stop illegal migrants.[3] By the end of 2025 about 280 km of fence had been built along the 283.6 km border where it was technically needed, and technical equipment was still being installed.[1] In 2024 Latvia began digging anti-tank ditches, to be reinforced with concrete “dragon’s teeth”, as part of an eastern border plan costing about €303 million. Some villagers near Terehova said they were afraid; others said the money would be better spent on roads.[3]
“Our overarching goal is to create the most advanced border protection on the European Union's eastern border”[1]
Timeline
More borders
Sources
- [1]Construction of fence on Latvian-Russian border completed · The Baltic Times (LETA) · 29 December 2025
- [2]NATO, EU Welcome Latvia-Russia Border Treaty · RFE/RL · 27 March 2007
- [3]'Preparing For A Bad Scenario': On Latvia's Russian Border As Fortification Work Begins · RFE/RL (North.Realities) · 29 May 2024
Map geometry from Natural Earth via world-atlas. See credits.