Abstract: The subject of this article is the historical influence of mass culture, especially visual media and rock music, on the youth of Russia and China in the process of forming their value orientations. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of changes that have occurred since the late 1980s in the context of socio-political transformations: the collapse of the Soviet Union and the beginning of reforms in China. The study focuses on the replacement of traditional cultural archetypes with new symbols of consumption, which were actively promoted through cinema, television and music. The article provides a historical analysis of the transformations of cultural preferences of young people, including the dominance of violence and sexual aggression in films, as well as the negative impact of countercultural music genres such as heavy metal and punk rock. The research methodology includes a historical and cultural approach, analysis of mass cultural phenomena and a systematic study of the influence of visual and musical media on the formation of value orientations of young people. The scientific novelty of this research article lies in revealing the profound influence of mass culture, especially visual media and countercultural music genres, on the formation of value orientations of young people. The study also emphasizes the importance of cultural and environmental components of media influence, indicating a crisis of universal humanistic values ​​among young people. The findings indicate the need to develop programs aimed at nurturing conscious consumption of cultural products and strengthening moral guidelines through closer interaction between educational institutions and cultural institutions, which is the key to the healthy development of society. In conclusion, the work emphasizes that young people's awareness of their cultural responsibility can be an important step towards positive changes in the socio-cultural environment.

Keywords: Self-awareness, Ecology of culture, Education, Counterculture, Popular culture, Identity, Culture, Socialization, Values, Social guidelines

Abstract: The subject of the article is the symbolic meaning of black color in the culture and folklore of various civilizations, especially in the Russian, French and Chinese traditions. The research aims to identify the evolution of the perception of black color over time and its role in religious, mythological and socio-cultural contexts. The author examines the transformations of the symbolism of the black color, its connection with myths, rituals and ideas about the world in various cultures, as well as its significance as a reflection of social and cultural norms and values. The research is aimed at identifying common and unique features in the perception of black color, its role in religious and ritual practices. The methodology is based on the collection and analysis of cultural texts on the symbolism of the black color in Slavic and Chinese cultures. Comparative analysis and contextual research methods are used to identify the role and significance of black color in culture and society. The novelty of the research lies in the analysis of the symbolism of black color in Russian, French and Chinese cultures through the prism of mythology and folklore. In Russian mythology and folklore, black color is associated with dark forces, death and the afterlife. It is dangerous, but it also has protective properties. In French mythology and folklore, black color is often associated with mystery, magic and riddles. It may symbolize death, but it also carries elegance and style. In Chinese mythology and folklore, black color is usually associated with death and ancestor worship. It can also symbolize power and authority. These results not only expand our understanding of mythological representations, but also highlight the importance of cultural context in interpreting color symbols.

Keywords: Linguistic picture of the world, Proverbs, Phraseologisms, Color designations, Chinese language, French language, Coloratives, Russian language, Comparative analysis, Black color

Abstract: Based on documents from the archives of the French Foreign Ministry and the Russian State Archive of Modern History, the article analyzes Soviet-Algerian relations through the prism of the rivalry between Moscow and Paris in the period from Algeria's independence in 1962 to the nationalization in 1971 by the Algerian leadership of oil transportation facilities and 51% of the shares of French oil companies operating in the Arab state. In the first years after the signing of the Evian Agreements of 1962, loans provided by the USSR, supplies of Soviet equipment, the start of a program to train national personnel, as well as assistance from other socialist countries helped Algeria to stabilize the socio-economic situation in the country. Up until 1968, Moscow's actions in Algeria did not affect strategically important areas for France.     However, the aggravation of French-Algerian relations due to Paris' non-compliance with the Algerian wine purchase agreement and, more importantly, the Algerian leadership's desire for independence from France in the oil sector and, at the same time, the beginning of supplies of Algerian wine to the USSR in 1968 and Moscow's assistance in the exploration and exploitation of oil fields in Algeria led to the beginning of the Soviet-French rivalry for the Algerian market. As a result, France and other Western countries were able to impose serious competition on the USSR, significantly reducing Moscow's capabilities in the Algerian direction. The USSR promoted Algeria's independence from France in the oil sector, but failed to make Algeria part of the socialist bloc. The main beneficiary of the Soviet-French rivalry was Algeria itself, which received significant support from the USSR in creating modern industry, agriculture and in the field of training qualified personnel, while retaining ample opportunities to enter Western markets.

Keywords: Evian Accords, Socialist Bloc, Non-Aligned Movement, Third World, cold war, France, Fifth Republic, Algeria, USSR, petrol

Abstract: The article analyzes the position of Russian diplomacy in relation to the interventionist policy of Western countries in Libya during the deployment of the confrontation in this country in 2011. The object of the study is the policy of the Russian Federation in the Middle East during the active phase of the «Arab Spring» (2011). The subject of the study is the evolution of the Kremlin's position regarding the intervention of Western countries in the internal affairs of the Middle East (on Libya's example). The main purpose of the work is to study the interventionism of the collective West during the internal political crisis in Libya in 2011 as the main factor that influenced the change in the nature of Moscow's Middle East policy as a whole. The presented research is carried out using general scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, and is also based on the principles of historicism and scientific objectivity. In the course of the study, the author attempts to reflect the objective reasons for the refusal of the Russian Federation from formally following the general policy of Western countries in relation to the «Arab Spring» and the transition to an independent political course in the Middle East, based primarily on the national interests of the Russian state. Special attention is paid to the comparative analysis of the positions of representatives of the Russian political elite in relation to the operation «Unified Protector» conducted in Libya.

Keywords: sanctions, Transitional National Council, NATO intervention, UN Security Council Resolution, UN Security Council, NATO, The Arab Spring, Libya, Middle East, Russia

Abstract: A considerable amount of foreign books in the libraries, the study of Western languages by the Russians, and close contacts with foreigners in Russia and abroad in the 1680s – 1720s had insignificant impact on the Russian authors, who preferred to describe the events using traditional literary forms. Even the first historical monographs, although contained Western scientific forms, retained the Russian literary style. The attempts to influence public opinion made by V. V. Golitsyn using the inspired by him, which were distributed in foreign countries and translated as foreign In Russia, had a tactical success, as they did not correspond to the Western ideas on the barbarian Muscovy. Western publications about Russia were affected by the fantastic version of organization of the Moscow Uprising of 1682 by the boyars and Tsarina Sofia, initiated by the regency government and supporters of Chancellor A. S. Matveev, who propagated it abroad with particular success. In the XVIII century, this version was explicated in the essays of the Count A. A. Matveev and his mentor L. I. Poborsky. The comparison of Russian origins and reflections of the version with its Western interpretations, including those translated in Moscow, allowed assessing the uniqueness of foreign outlook on Russia. The synthesis of Russian and foreign interpretations of the fantastic version of conspiracies underlies the representations of many historians on the Streltsy uprising of 1682.

Keywords: Crimean campaigns, Moscow Uprising, Khovansky conspiracy, Miloslavsky conspiracy, Princess Sophia Alexeevna, Ivan Lavrentievich Poborsky, Vasily Vasilievich Golitsyn, Andrey Artamonovich Matveev, Western press, vesty-kuranty

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the reflection of the topic of the Russian imperial spirit and its manifestations in the Anglo-American historiography of 1970 – 2000. The article relies on the works of the representatives of American Russian studies, from its major figures (Z. Brzeziński and R. Pipes) to modern representatives (A. Grigas). The author reviews the key positions of American researchers of Russia on the general characteristic of the imperial mentality that are inherent to the Russian people and determine their political and life behavior. Reference to the manifestations of the imperial spirit and its analysis in the modern period is important, as it allows seeing the history of Russia from an outside perspective, as well as carrying out a political-sociological and historical-chronological analysis to avoid similar mistakes in the future. The main conclusions are based on the works of Anglo-American Russian studies, which indicate that the study of imperial mentality, traditions, life and political behavior of Russia remains popular in the Western sector of Russian studies. On the one hand, it continues the tradition of American Soviet studies, while on other – separates from it and delves into the local and culturological research. However, the politological component retains its positions, and searches for the new topics and approaches. The author believes that these two trends would continue to be viewed in parallel in the Anglo-American Russian studies for a long time.

Keywords: society, mentality, sovietology, author, research, imperial, Russian studies, theory, culture, policy

Abstract: The subject of this research is humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China in the area of youth cultural and educational projects between Amur Region and Heilongjiang Province in the early XXI century. The first two decades of the XXI century, these relations are characterized by active contacts in the area of culture and education, prominent education projects on intergovernmental and interregional levels. Within the framework of the National Years of Russia and China, a significant number of events were held to promote interaction between the youth of two countries and their familiarization with the culture of another country. Such events are of particular relevance in the Far Eastern border region – the intersection of Russia and China. The authors analyze the documentation on humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China, and give characteristics to the joint projects and programs in the sphere of education and science between Amur Region and Heilongjiang Province. The novelty of novelty of this work consists in the detailed analysis of specificity of youth education projects between the border regions of the Russian Far East and Northeast China in the early XXI century, which were implemented prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors also considered the interaction between Russian and Chinese universities in the context of close humanitarian and youth cooperation. The article features the materials translated by the authors from Chinese language. The past two decades of the XXI century mark a substantial array of cultural and educational events dedicated to youth of Russia and China; thus, humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China in the sphere of youth education projects has become an integral element of interregional contacts between Amur Region and Heilongjiang Province. The accumulated historical experience with regards to cooperation between the two countries in this sphere directly impacts the development of Russia – China relations, and requires druthers research..

Keywords: Heilongjiang province, Amur region, Russian-Chinese relations, youth cultural and educational projects, Russia and China, humanitarian cooperation, border regions, regional cooperation, Far East, dialogue of cultures

Abstract: Based on previously unexplored treaties and agreements, the article provides an analysis of the non-military mechanism for ensuring Russia's interests in Manchuria against the background of the formation and development of the statehood of the Hulunbuir district, known in the Mongolian-speaking world as Barga. Having played the Russo-Japanese War and lost a number of supporting territories, the Russian Empire took all necessary measures to preserve and strengthen its influence in the region and was able to form zones of preferential interests, thanks to which it managed to control the process of acquiring relative independence of the Barge in a favorable light for itself. The research methods were data collection; thematic monitoring of scientific publications; method of analysis of documentary streams; systematic approach. В В  The main conclusions of the study are that within the framework of the studied agreements, Russian national interests in the Far East were reliably protected. The instrument for this was concessions, which by their legal nature differed significantly from the concessions and settlements created by foreign powers in Eastern China, but could fully ensure the Russian presence and respect for strategic interests. Also among the conclusions is the judgment that the created system has shown its effectiveness, however, following the revolutionary events and the death of the Russian Empire, it could not survive the political crises that came during this period. The Chinese leadership, taking advantage of the turmoil that arose in Russia, liquidated first the autonomy of Outer Mongolia, and then the status of Hulunbuir stipulated in the agreements.

Keywords: economic interests, foreign settlement, concession, Hulunbuir, Barga, Northeast China, Russian-Chinese agreements, Russian-Japanese conventions, international agreement, national security

Abstract: This article is dedicated to analysis of the role of the Network University of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Special attention is given to the current humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China that includes not only the traditional spheres as culture and education, but also healthcare, sport, tourism, as well as meets the demands of both states pertinent to structuring of regional subsystem of international relations. In this context, the author reviews Russian-Chinese cooperation in educational sphere in format of Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the role of University of SCO that allows successfully overcoming different barriers on the path of regional integration within SCO. The author’s special contribution into the research of Russia-China bilateral cooperation in humanitarian sphere lies in studying the evolution of their relations in educational sector with consideration of creation of the Network University of Shanghai Cooperation Organization. A conclusion is made on substantial strengthening of institutional framework of the bilateral humanitarian cooperation due to establishment of the University of Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as intensification of the processes of creation of a single “educational space” of SCO that increases the level of corporate integration that caters to the national interests of Russia and China.

Keywords: Confucius Institutes, student exchange, university, educational cooperation, SCO, Russia, China, humanitarian cooperation, cultural relations, Eurasian integration

Abstract: The subject of this research is the specificity of relationship between the Christian East and West in the XII century. The Christian East implies the Byzantine Empire and Rus’, while the West is the Holy Roman Empire. The XII century indicates the two crucial dates for the history of relationship between the Orthodox and Catholic worlds – the Great Schism of 1054, and the Sack of Constantinople as a culmination of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. Due to these circumstances, the XII century is viewed tendentiously: as a period of gradual and persistent escalation of tensions between the Christian West and East. The sources for this research became the Western European chronicles, hagiographic writings and normative legal documents, Russian and Byzantine religious-polemical writings. The acquired conclusions demonstrate nowise a tendentious picture of relationship between Byzantium, Rus’, and West during the indicated chronological period, but rather testify to certain specificity with regards to interaction of the Christian East and West. This specificity is reflected in the systematicity of their relationship, as well as in presence in the religious dialogue, which does not carry polemical or negative character.

Keywords: secular authority, crusade, civilizational split, Great Schism, West, Rus, Byzantium, church authority, Komnenian dynasty, tendentiousness

Abstract: The object of this research is the changes in the policy of rendering British aid to the White Forces of Siberia and Southern Russia in July 1919 and their causes. The subject of this research is the information on these matters, contained in the meeting protocol of the British War Cabinet of July 25, 1919 and related decision. Within the framework of the question “Situation in Russia”, were comprehensively discussed the reasonableness and possibilities of rendering British aid to A. V. Kolchak’s army in Siberia and A. I. Denikin’s army in Southern Russia. The author applies narrative method of research for description of documents that have not been previously introduced into the scientific discourse by the Russian scholars. The comparative method is used for correlation of data collected from various sources. The scientific novelty consists in the comprehensive examination of the claimed topic based on the meeting protocol of the War Cabinet of July 25, 1919, as well as other newly introduced documents from the United Kingdom National Archive. The author comes to the conclusion that the escalation of social tension in British society, major defeats of A. V. Kolchak, successful offensive operations of A. I. Denikin, along with the lack of financial resources for supporting the White Forces on all fronts, led to curtailing of British aid to Kolchak’s army and increased support of Denikin’s army, since his military achievements at the moment theoretically allowed counting upon invasion of Moscow.  

Keywords: South of Russia, Denikin, Siberia, Kolchak, Civil War, War Cabinet, Britain, White forces, intervention, Lloyd George

Abstract: The object of this research is the role of British War Cabinet in organization of intervention in Far East and Siberia. The subject of this research is the actions of British government pertinent to the agreement of the terms and conditions of intervention with the United States, Japan, and Soviet authorities in December 1917 – August 1918, which was a challenging task due to the clash of interests of the United States and Japan and their approaches towards resolution of the problems in these regions, not to mention the equivocal position of the Soviet Russia in discussing the “intervention upon agreement”, i.e. integration approved by the Soviet authorities. The main research methods are the following: chronological, comparative and narrative, substantiated by the strict chronological framework and the nature of the involved sources, some of which are used for the first time. The scientific novelty is defined by the fact that the attraction of the vast amount of sources from the National Archive that have not been previously introduced into the scientific discourse, allows studying the insufficiently covered within the Russian historiography topic on the role of United Kingdom in organization of intervention in Far East and Siberia with regards to agreeing the terms of intervention with the United States, Japan, and Soviet government. The conclusion is made that using its political leverage, the British government not only actively participated in conversations with Japan, United States, and Soviet authorities, but practically formed the agenda for such negotiations, persistently encouraging the partners to follow their directives.

Keywords: Lenin, Woodrow Wilson, Lloyd George, Siberia, the Far East, War Cabinet, intervention, Trotsky, Lockhart, Entente

Abstract: This article presents an overview of the data on the history of Pskov and Pskovian land, collected on the basis of English and French diplomatic testimonies of the XVI – early XVII centuries. The author analyzes the routes of ambassadorial missions, diplomatic ceremony, geographical records and descriptions of the city of Pskov, data on military events and trade provided by the foreign diplomats who visited the Tsardom of Russia. For the first tie is examined the attendance of Pskov by Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle in July 1664. The source foundation contains the official documents, reports, and diaries of the participants of French and English diplomatic missions to the Russian State. The applied historical-genetic method allows tracing the evolution of representations of the English and French diplomats about the Pskovian land as a part of the Tsardom of Russia throughout the XVI – XVII centuries. Located on the border of Muscovy, Pskov and Pskovian land often attracted attention of the foreign diplomats due to its economic and military potential.

Keywords: Jerome Horsey, Pskov land, Tsardom of Muscovy, France, England, Early Modern Period, diplomacy, testimonies of contemporaries, 1st Earl of Carlisle, Louis Deshaye

Abstract: The article is devoted to the issues of security of the buffer Far Eastern republic in the period of 1920 - 1922. The author of the article pays attention to a significant number of foreign intelligence agents acting in the territory of Far Eastern Republic and traces back the main areas of subversive activities performed by the foreign intelligence service in the Republic. The author describes the channels through which information was transfered abroad as well as the channels for supplying money to the Far Eastern part of Russia in order to finance illegal activities. The author describes goals, targets and methods of activities performed by foreign special services in the Far East. He also defines the spheres of activities of the White Guard intelligence service in the region and describes how the 'double agents' worked.  The author also touches upon the issue of the internal and external banditry in the Far East during the Civil War and Intervention and reveals operations performed by the State Political Security Service of the Far Eastern Republic in order to suppress the banditry.  The author describes the stages of formation of KGB service in the Far East and the main challenges it faced. At the end of the article the author concludes that the efforts undertaken by KGB servicemen actually led to posive results. 

Keywords: Far East, civil war, secret services, intervention, Far Eastern Republic, banditry, foreign intelligence, intelligence service, buffer, security