gesjGEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITYGEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY2071-93882542-1565Russian Geographical Society10.24057/2071-9388-2025-4161gesj-4464Research ArticleRESEARCH PAPERСтатьиCross-Border Interactions Of The Pskov Region In The Context Of Restrictions: Policy – Perception – PracticeMorachevskayaKira A.

29 Staromonetny pereulok, 119017, Moscow

7-9 Universitetskaya nab., 199034, Saint Petersburg

k.morachevskaya@spbu.ruSebentsovAlexander B.

29 Staromonetny pereulok, 119017, Moscow

KarpenkoMikhail S.

29 Staromonetny pereulok, 119017, Moscow

RadikevichAndrei V.

29 Staromonetny pereulok, 119017, Moscow

Leninskie gory, 1, 199991, Moscow

Institute of Geography Russian Academy of Sciences; Saint Petersburg State UniversityRussian FederationInstitute of Geography Russian Academy of SciencesRussian FederationInstitute of Geography Russian Academy of Sciences; Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityRussian Federation202530122026184149157Copyright © Morachevskaya K.A., Sebentsov A.B., Karpenko M.S., Radikevich A.V., 20262026Morachevskaya K.A., Sebentsov A.B., Karpenko M.S., Radikevich A.V.Morachevskaya K.A., Sebentsov A.B., Karpenko M.S., Radikevich A.V.Данная работа распространяется под лицензией Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.https://ges.rgo.ru/jour/article/view/4464

This paper uses the ‘Policy – Perception – Practice’ approach to assess the impact of neighbourhood character dynamics and restrictions on cross-border relations in the Pskov region between 2013 and 2024. The information base includes the authors’ database of documents that regulate various aspects of cross-border interactions in Russia, over 3,000 articles from Pskov media for 2013-2024, and expert interviews with government officials, as well as semi-structured interviews with the population in the regional capital and specific border towns. The analysis found that the cross-border relations of the Pskov region are asymmetric. Before the global pandemic and the geopolitical crisis of 2022, there was an emphasis on fostering cooperation with Latvia and Estonia, a collaboration that was institutionalised. The prevailing sentiment among the population, as shown by an analysis of media discourse, was that the Baltic borderland was seen only as a source of opportunities, while the Belarusian borderland was also viewed as a source of challenges. This finding underscores the imperative for cross-border cooperation to mitigate the potential for illegal activities, competitive economic pressures, illegal migration, and trade-related activities to grow without such collaboration. Despite a clear increase in the intensity of cross-border ties with Belarus after 2022, the study reveals significant shortcomings in the current approach to cross-border cooperation in Russia.

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The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest present.