Last month, Latvian authorities introduced increased restrictions at three border crossings, citing the risk of a “hybrid threat” from neighboring Russia and Belarus. One of Kyiv’s staunchest allies, Latvia has taken drastic steps to harden its borders since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. And with the Kremlin reportedly expanding army bases and preparing to move more troops to its border regions along NATO’s eastern flank, Riga’s security concerns are unlikely to abate anytime soon. For residents of the Latgale region, however, the realities of cutting cross-border ties are complex to say the least. For The Beet, Rēzekne-based journalist Jack Styler reports on how the militarization of the border with Russia has affected ordinary people in Latvia’s easternmost region.