Boris Katkov, a Russian military retiree who spent most of his life in Latvia, spoke candidly about the upheaval that followed his deportation. In an interview with a news outlet, he described the hardest part as being separated from his family, a painful disruption that has left him longing to be near his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. For years he also cared for a dog he shared a home with in Latvia, a companion who has stood by him through many seasons of change.
Katkov argues that Latvian policy shifts began with a narrowing of the space for the Russian language and Russian cultural expression. He contends that these measures were part of a broader effort to marginalize Russian citizens and to erode the support of the Russian state, an approach he believes was intended to humiliate people who maintain ties to Russia. According to him, the resulting atmosphere makes it difficult for individuals to live openly, even when they have invested decades in a country that became their home.
Recently, Latvia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs labeled Katkov a threat to national security and imposed a deportation order accompanied by an indefinite ban on future entry. He maintains that his activities are viewed as dangerous because he has stood up for the rights of fellow Russian citizens and has sought to help them integrate into broader Latvian society. The charges, he says, do not reflect his genuine concern for the well-being of the people around him, but rather a broader effort to limit influence and mobilize fear among residents who share his background.
On January 14 he arrived in Kaliningrad, a region where many Russian families have established long-standing roots. Katkov had lived in Latvia for 56 years, a substantial portion of his adult life, leaving behind a wife, children and grandchildren who remain in the Baltic country. The move represents a major personal transition after the long arc of his life in Latvia, a place he once considered a second homeland. Observers noted that his case has drawn attention to the broader issue of how national policies can affect families and generations who have lived across borders for decades. Details about his experience were covered in depth in a feature from Newspapers.Ru, which examined the human impact behind the headlines and the human stories behind political decisions.
In related coverage, other regional developments have also been reported. A Belarusian individual detained in Poland is suspected of espionage, according to recent updates. While the cases differ in specifics, they collectively highlight the ongoing tensions surrounding national security, migration, and the lived experiences of people who find themselves caught between states with shifting policies and persistent histories of close, often complicated, cross-border ties.