Abstract: The history of Russian agricultural mechanics is rapidly evolving, attempting to understand the development of this science at the beginning of the 20th century. However, this understanding is impossible without a direct comparison of the views and approaches of key figures in agricultural mechanics of that time: V. P. Goryachkin, the founder of theoretical agricultural mechanics, and D. D. Artsybashev, the first head of the Bureau of Agricultural Mechanics of the Main Directorate of Land Management and Agriculture. Such a comparison, however, had never been conducted before in science. The research focus is on the works of these two key pre-revolutionary Russian specialists in agricultural mechanics. The objective of this study is to establish the validity of the established scientific opinion regarding their continuity as teacher and student, and to present the differences in methodologies in studying technology through these key figures in Russian agricultural mechanics. The study was conducted using a comparative historical analysis and identifying the research strategies of the scientists in question (i.e., in terms of planning, goal-setting, and research structure, different approaches to the creation of a new methodology, and different theoretical foundations for their classifications of agricultural machinery). The results were interpreted using B. Latour's actor-network theory. It was established that V. P. Goryachkin's research strategy was aimed at examining the equipment for the purpose of further developing more advanced models based on the laws of mechanics, which determined the consistent scientific nature of his work (including a specific research procedure, an emphasis on understanding the operating principles of mechanisms, the involvement of foreign literature, innovation in the field of creating measuring equipment, etc.), while D. D. Artsybashev's research strategy remained focused on the operator of the equipment, which determined the desire not to understand the operating principles of the mechanisms under study, but to describe the "functional essence" of the processes, with an emphasis on interaction with other branches of agricultural science and on recommendations for use. An unambiguous conclusion has been made that D. D. Artsybashev and V. P. Goryachkin represent two different stages in the history of agricultural mechanics: the first remained at the empirical stage of knowledge, without the need to deepen his research, while the second, with different goals, began the transition to the theoretical stage.

Keywords: agricultural mechanics, V. P. Goryachkin, D. D. Artsybashev, history of agricultural science, research strategy, Bureau of Agricultural Mechanization, Moscow Agricultural Institute, testing of agricultural machines, machine testing stations, classification problems

Abstract: This work explores the theme of Bohdan Khmelnytsky's uprising (1648–1654), the relevance of which is determined by the significant geopolitical consequences of these events in Eastern Europe. Within the framework of this study, we propose to look at the phenomenon of the uprising through the lens of social mentality history, a development that has only recently begun in Eastern European historiographies. The subject of this research is the worldview and perceptions of ordinary participants and contemporaries of Bohdan Khmelnytsky's uprising regarding the large-scale events unfolding before their eyes. An attempt is made to create a mental map of the lower-ranked Cossacks, peasants, townspeople, merchants, and lower ranks of clergy, directly or indirectly involved in the conflict, which becomes possible through the analysis of a vast array of interrogational speeches and petitions. Two concepts are defined to qualify the actions and judgments of the respondents: faith as an emotionally motivational impulse and dogmatism as adherence to social expectations. The participants of the uprising are divided into four categories depending on their motivation. Based on a comparative analysis of the interrogational speeches, recurring trends in the behavior and reasoning of the respondents are identified. The scientific novelty of the presented work lies in the author's introduction of a non-traditional perspective for the historiography of the topic, allowing the conflict to be examined from a "grassroots" viewpoint, using unique, partly unpublished archival materials—interrogational speeches—that reveal the opinions and assessments of ordinary people. Based on the conducted research, it is concluded that the involvement of the Cossacks and merchants in the uprising is driven by pragmatic motives related to their worldview, while religiosity is perceived as performing rituals and fulfilling social expectations. At the same time, peasants and clergy, possessing deep religious conviction, view their struggle as a means of defending faith and cultural identity, where material and spiritual well-being are interconnected.

Keywords: dogmatism, faith, mentality, behavioral patterns, Cossacks, liberties, religious consciousness, rasprosnye speeches, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, The State of Moscow

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the study of the biography of the spiritual leader of the Holy Trinity Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov; 1919–2017), one of the key spiritual figures at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries, and the mentor of three patriarchs (Alexy I, Pimen, Alexy II), who was at the origins of many large-scale church-state projects. The subject of the study is the spiritual transformation of the religiously indifferent personality of Ivan Pavlov (Kirill's name before his monastic tonsure) during the Great Patriotic War, influenced by traumatic war experiences. Special attention is given to his act of witnessing Christian faith during the war, when due to his combat merits, it was decided to accept Ivan Pavlov into the ranks of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Experiencing a worldview revolution and turning to faith shortly after the Battle of Stalingrad, the Red Army soldier Ivan Pavlov refused to be a communist, calling himself a Christian. The research is based on a combination of general scientific and historical methods, including historical-biographical, reconstructive, historical-genetic, hermeneutical, and interviews. Archival documents from 1941–1945 have been found and studied: distribution statements for the issuance of monetary allowances, award documents, the personal file of the candidate for membership in the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks) Ivan Pavlov, and his medical history in evacuation hospital No. 2904. Thus, for the first time, an attempt has been made to conduct a comprehensive study of the frontline biography of the elder, relying on scientific and historical methods and archival documents. This has allowed for a more complete and accurate representation of the life of Father Kirill. The authors conclude that it was during the years of military trials that a spiritual transformation of his personality occurred, confirmed by the act of witnessing faith. It was on the front that the decision to serve God and people matured. The events of wartime, according to the authors, predetermined the entire subsequent fate of the Russian elder. The relevance of the study is connected to the necessity of preserving the historical memory of the outstanding figure of Father Kirill, as well as reflecting on the essence of military trials, when in conditions of a crisis choice, the best sides of human personality are revealed.

Keywords: Archimandrite Kirill, Stalingrad, Orthodox faith, confessor, elder, spiritual advisor, Holy Trinity Saint Sergius Lavra, monasticism, Great Patriotic War, historical heritage

Abstract: The article examines the history of the anarchist movement in the Tambov province in the early 20th century, based on a wide range of archival sources and published materials, in comparative perspective with the Voronezh and Oryol provinces. The relevance of the study is due to the insufficient understanding of the regional specifics of the development of anarchism in Central Black Earth during the revolutionary period. The aim of the research is to reconstruct the history of the anarchist movement in the Tambov province, identify the main stages of development and activities of local anarchist groups, their numbers, social composition, tactics and methods of political struggle, and the reasons for their weakness compared to neighboring regions. The subject of the study is the revolutionary activities of Tambov anarchist groups in the early 20th century. The chronological framework of the research covers the period of the First Russian Revolution and the subsequent years of revolutionary decline in the region up to 1917. The methodological framework of the study is built on a combination of general scientific and special historical methods. The methodological basis included methods such as historical-genetic, chronological, and comparative-historical. During the study, it was established that there were 5 organizations in the Tambov province with a total documented participation of no more than 22 individuals. A comparative analysis of the development of anarchism in neighboring provinces (Voronezh and Oryol) showed a direct correlation between the level of industrialization of the region (the presence of a factory-worker proletariat, as the main driver of revolutionary processes) and the scale of the anarchist movement. In conclusion, the author states that the agrarian nature of the Tambov province and the absence of large industrial centers became one of the main reasons for the overall weakness of the anarchist movement in the region during the period in question. The agrarian movement in the province was led by Socialist-Revolutionaries, who had a large number of political circles in the peasant environment. Anarchists failed to establish themselves as a driving political force among the population.

Keywords: anarchism, Tambov Governorate, comparative analysis, First Russian Revolution, political history, revolutionary terror, Voronezh Governorate, Oryol Governorate, Central Black Earth Region, History of political parties

Abstract: The article is devoted to the changes in the powers of the head of the Caucasus Region that occurred as a result of the reorganization of the region’s administration conducted by the government of the Russian Empire in 1881–1883. The reform was aimed at centralizing and unifying the civil administration of the Caucasus with the general imperial system. As a result, the previous viceroyalty system that had existed since the mid-1840s was abolished and replaced by a new administration. Instead of the position of the Viceroy of the Caucasus, a new position of the Chief Administrator of Civil Affairs in the Caucasus was established. Thus, the subject of the research is the legal relationship of the powers of the head of the Caucasus Region before and after the administration reform of 1881-1883. The aim of the article is to determine exactly how the new position differed from the previous one and to what extent the head of the region was limited in his powers. This allows to identify the specifics of the reform itself. Using the comparative-historical method, the author analyzes and compares the powers of the Viceroy and the Chief Administrator, orders of their interaction with the supreme power, higher and central institutions and local institutions. The research is based on the materials of the legislation of the Russian Empire. The article presents the first attempt at a detailed legal comparison of the powers of the head of the Caucasus Region before and after the reform of 1881–1883. The information about this constitutes a significant basis for studying administrative practices in the Russian Empire. The author concludes that, although the powers of the Chief Administrator were significantly restricted compared to those of the Viceroy and essentially equated to those of a governors-general in inner Russia, they also included certain special rights granted specifically to him due to the local conditions of the Caucasus. Thus, despite the established policy of centralization and unification of the region’s administration, its local peculiarities nevertheless had to be taken into account when making relevant decisions. This «dual» specificity predetermined the essence of the Caucasus administration reform of 1881–1883 and its subsequent implementation for years to come.

Keywords: Russian Empire, Caucasus Region, Viceroy, Chief Administrator, administration of regions, powers, centralization, legislation, Mikhail Nikolaevich, A. M. Dondukov-Korsakov

Abstract: The article explores the Russian-Turkish rivalry in the South Caucasus in 1877–2024, offering a six—stage periodization – from the "railway wars" to the sanctions "renaissance of corridors". The combination of neoclassical realism with the concept of energy regionalization is complemented by correlation, network, and text-mining analysis of 620 press releases, BP statistics, and archived telegrams. The author identifies a cyclical matrix of "military leverage → infrastructure project → cultural legitimation" and a semantic shift from "energy security" to "transport sustainability" after 2016. The risk asymmetry has been proven: Russia incurs political costs, Turkey accumulates market benefits. Scenario modeling until 2030 highlights the criticality of the Zangezur corridor and the possible effect of Iran's withdrawal from sanctions. Practical value — recommendations on the corridor parity fund, unification of e-CMR and ESG projects of universities. Novelty: combines the neoclassical realism of R. Rose with the "energy regionalization" of M. Kayords, interpreting pipelines as an institutionally filtered tool for redrawing borders. Empiricism: correlation of Brent price and Russian–Turkish visits; The growing centrality of Kars; a discourse analysis of 4,300 releases records the replacement of "energy security" with "transport stability" after 2016. The scientific novelty of the work consists in integrating multi—format data – pre—revolutionary archives, Soviet protocols, modern energy statistics and an array of digital press releases – into a single analytical array, which made it possible to quantify the evolution of Russian-Turkish cooperation. It is shown for the first time that the frequency of the term "transport stability" after 2016 exceeded "energy security" by 2.3 times; The centrality of the Kars node in the corridor network increased from 0.32 to 0.68. The findings confirm the cyclical matrix of "power impulse – infrastructure – culture" and the risk asymmetry between the supplier and the transit country. The methodological combination of correlation, network, and agent-based modeling expands the research tools of energy geopolitics. The forecast developed by cross-impact shows that without the Zangezur corridor, the payback of TANAP-2 is not guaranteed, and Iran's potential reintegration is capable of redistributing gas flows and transit rents.

Keywords: Russia, Turkey, South Caucasus, geopolitics, energy diplomacy, transport corridors, Karabakh, TRACECA, TANAP, soft power

Abstract: The article is devoted to the study of the formation, operation and development of the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union (TASS) as an instrument of domestic information policy in the 20th century. Key stages in the agency's development from its inception to its transformation into a major media resource of the USSR and modern Russia are studied. Special attention is given to how TASS shaped the image of the country through various formats, as well as integration into the global media system. Throughout its history, the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union has demonstrated its ability to adapt to political and technological changes, communicating the position of official Moscow to the foreign public and generally fulfilling the role of the most important domestic instrument of foreign information policy. In the domestic arena, TASS covered key moments of Russian history, had a monopoly on the dissemination of information, combining centralized management with the flexibility of information formats. The methodological basis of the research is the principle of historicism and scientific objectivity, a systematic approach, methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that for the first time in Russian historiography, a comprehensive analysis of the evolution of the Telegraph Agency of the Soviet Union has been carried out, and the continuous development from the creation of the agency's prototype to the current state has been traced. TASS has been studied as a tool for influencing a foreign audience in order to form a positive image of the Soviet state. The main aspects and practices of TASS's work were reviewed, as well as key events that influenced the changes in its activities were identified. TASS played a particularly significant role during important and crisis periods of Russian history, as well as successfully adapting to new geopolitical realities. TASS appears to be a unique and flexible institution that was an important instrument in the foreign information policy of the USSR and continues to be so in the Russian Federation.

Keywords: The St. Petersburg Telegraph Agency, ROSTA, Telegraph Agency, TASS, ITAR-TASS, USSR, Russia, information policy, news agency, information

Abstract: The subject of the research is the multifaceted activities of the Artillery Committee as the central scientific, technical, and expert body of the Ministry of War of the Russian Empire. The work comprehensively examines the process of institutionalizing the committee as a specialized division of the Main Artillery Directorate, its transformation from a temporary advisory body into a permanently functioning scientific and technical institution. Special emphasis is placed on analyzing the regulatory framework governing the committee's activities, which determined its competence and place in the military management system. The object of the research is the key aspects of the functioning of the Artillery Committee: its organizational structure and personnel composition; decision-making system and mechanisms of interaction with command instances; main areas of scientific and technical activities. The author thoroughly analyzes the expert functions of the committee, including the consideration of new artillery systems projects, testing of weapon samples, development of regulatory documents and methodological materials. Such a comprehensive approach allows for revealing the committee's role as a crucial link between theoretical developments, industrial production, and practical application of artillery systems in the troops. The study employs historical-systemic and institutional methods, conducts a critical analysis of legislative acts from the Complete Collection of Laws of the Russian Empire, archival materials from the RGVIA, and historiographical sources, while the scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive examination of the committee's activities at the intersection of military history and the history of science. The article presents a comprehensive study of the activities of the Artillery Committee as the central scientific and technical body of the Ministry of War of the Russian Empire, revealing new aspects of its institutionalization and practical work. Based on the analysis of previously unpublished legislative acts and archival materials, the author traces the process of the committee's transformation from a temporary advisory body into a permanently operating scientific institution with clearly defined functions and structure. The scientific novelty of the work lies in revisiting traditional notions of the committee's degree of independence – the research shows that most of its decisions were subject to modification by command structures. The practical significance of the research manifests itself in identifying new promising directions for studying the transfer of military technologies. The results obtained significantly expand understanding of the mechanisms of modernization of the Russian army in the 19th century and contribute substantially to the study of the history of science and technology in Russia.

Keywords: Military Department, Artillery Committee, scientific and technical expertise, modernization of the army, history of science and technology, institutional history, standardization of weapons, technical policy, Main Artillery Directorate, the military-industrial complex