Abstract: The subject of the study is the integration processes of regional security in the European space, based on the research papers of B. Buzan and O. Weaver. The paper looks at different alliances of European countries with a view to achieving cooperation on point areas common to a particular region. The chosen topic is explored through the prism of the Copenhagen School of Security theories, especially those of the regional security complex and securitisation. One of the trends in contemporary international relations is regionalisation in the field of international security. An understanding of this process will therefore make it possible to anticipate the development of state policy towards intergovernmental organisations. The focus of the scholarly article is on analysing the functioning of the Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO), as the association of the Nordic countries serves as a model for effective progressive integration in the Nordic region. The progress of the organisation is to broaden the notion of security for political action. It now includes threats and challenges not only of a military defence nature, but also of an economic, environmental, legal, social and ethno-political nature. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the identification and analysis of Nordic Defence Cooperation (NORDEFCO) in the context of a regional security subcomplex, namely in identifying further prospects for this integration group in enhancing the defence capabilities of its member states. NORDEFCO acted as a structural prototype for many European defence alliances. However, Nordic defence cooperation has not become an alternative to NATO in Northern Europe, as evidenced by Sweden and Finland's application to join the North Atlantic Alliance in 2022. Consequently, the Nordic states have not finally achieved autonomy in establishing their own security system in the region.

Keywords: integration processes, regional association, defence cooperation, regional security, regional security complex, securitization theory, European region, NATO, NORDEFCO, Nordic countries

Abstract: The subject of the research in the article is the national environmental agenda of the Russian Federation and the issues of its reformatting. The need to implement the national environmental agenda is shown on the example of the Arctic region, where it is necessary to take into account: (1) the planned intensification of industrial development, which increases the risks of negative impact of man-made factors on environmental safety; (2) the specifics of the region, which aggravates the criticality of environmental safety problems. Against the background of today's sanctions pressure, the task of reformatting the national environmental agenda has entered the list of urgent technological and logistical problems for Russian business. Reformatting includes anti-sanctions measures to support business security, which the study focuses on. The novelty of the research consists in substantiating and developing a balanced approach to reformatting the national environmental agenda, carried out to ensure the safe development of business under sanctions pressure. The approach focuses on two key areas of reformatting: (1) measures to temporarily weaken environmental regulations; (2) measures to support priority environmental projects of business, as well as domestic developers and manufacturers of environmental equipment. From the analysis of business and environmental risks, in the zone of which the Arctic territories fall, it is concluded that there is a need for a rational combination of the identified areas. From the standpoint of environmental safety and business preparation for improving the economic situation, the need to strengthen the second direction of reformatting related to the implementation of priority environmental business projects is shown. The results obtained can be useful for choosing anti-sanctions measures to support safe business development within the framework of the state policy of ensuring national security.

Keywords: balanced approach, environmental risks, entrepreneurial risks, anti-sanctions measures, external sanctions, the Arctic, environmental security, business security, national environmental agenda, reformatting the environmental agenda

Abstract: The subject of the study is the system of relations related to ensuring the economic security of Russia as part of the Eurasian economy in the conditions of the current global crisis, and the choice of the main directions of its development in the presence of Western and Eurasian models of positioning in the world economy.The object of the study is the state of the world market in modern conditions in its dialectical dualism of the presence of Western and Eurasian models of positioning of national economies. The authors consider in detail such aspects of the topic as the problem of the presence in the modern global economy of two main concepts as part of the development of the modern world market: financial and industrial. Particular attention is paid to which groups of countries are developing within the framework of these concepts, and Russia's position in relation to them is determined from the standpoint of ensuring its economic security.     The main conclusions of the study are the following: - there are two main models in the modern market: the Western one, which is based on the priority development of the financial market; and the Eurasian one, which is based on the development of real production; - Russia in recent decades has sought to develop according to the Western model, but has a high degree of adaptation to the Eurasian one, especially due to the development of extractive industries; - the way out of the current crisis is likely to involve a shift in global emphasis from the financial concept of development to the production one. In these conditions, it makes special sense for Russia to develop and implement a comprehensive program for closer integration into the Eurasian economy. It is this integration that will give economic security a qualitatively new level. A special contribution of the authors is to identify the main directions of Russian economic and managerial activities to ensure the repositioning of the country's economy according to the Eurasian model after the end of the current crisis. The novelty of the study lies in the statistical substantiation of the parameters of the difference between the Western and Eurasian models.

Keywords: the Eurasian model, western model, concept, real production, public debt, Eurasia, development, Economy, financial model, production model

Abstract: The objective need for environmental investment to overcome the reproduction of anti-sustainable environmental trends in the modern Russian economy and its post-pandemic recovery is substantiated. Environmental investments that meet the criteria of the global ESG agenda are positioned as responsible in their essence and transformative in their functional role. Original scientific judgments are presented on the impact of such investments on the dynamics and intensity of "green" innovations (new technologies, production processes, supply chains capable of solving issues of waste processing and industrial reproduction of raw materials from waste resources, as well as the use of alternative energy sources, etc.), which are able to generate long-term and sustainable growth of aggregate factor productivity (TFP) and ensure the radical transformations of the economic system associated with the formation of a "green" circular economy.   Regressive models (growth curves) have been constructed for the current domestic economy, taking into account the volume of environmental investment, confirming the hypothesis of the "weakness" of this process in the Russian Federation, including due to the lack of significant changes in the state environmental policy. The minimum necessary economic tools of the state policy in the field of stimulating environmental investment in Russia have been formed in order to post-pandemic recovery of its economy and ensure long-term sustainable growth of TFP. The conducted research makes a certain contribution to the development of the theory of endogenous economic growth by taking into account the impact of environmental investment, which is initially focused on the effective use of natural capital, on the maximum involvement of waste resources in economic turnover, the replacement of traditional production technologies with environmentally friendly or low-carbon, the improvement of ecosystems, the production potential of the economy, the quality of the environment and social changes.

Keywords: sustainable economic growth, circular economy, growth curves, cumulative factor productivity, deinvestments, green innovation, environmental investment, anti-sustainable environmental trends, pandemic economic recession, rental model of the economy

Abstract: The subject of this research is innovative security of Rostov Oblast of the Russian Federation as a western border region in the present context of geo-economic uncertainty and intricacy. Relevance of this article is substantiated by the current geopolitical factor, when innovative systems of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation experience a strong negative external influence, which is a result of relations between Russia and Western countries. It has a greater impact on the border regions that are integrated into the international innovative and production chains, and have stable economic ties with the foreign partners. The novelty of this research consists in conceptualization of representations on innovative security through the prism of nonlinear dynamics of the complex open systems. The values of this research consists in empirical material acquired in the course of expert interviews. The comparison of obtained empirical qualitative and quantitative results allows concluding on the relatively consistent positive dynamics of innovative development of Rostov Oblast, but at the same time indicating the key issues in ensuring its innovative security in the new geopolitical realities.

Keywords: regional competitiveness, Rostov region, Western regions of Russia, geo-economic turbulence, border region, innovative development, regional innovative security, in-depth interview, economic security, security threat

Abstract: This work is dedicates to the methodological and applied problems of increasing efficiency of the transformation management process of the systems of legislative regulation and law enforcement in the conditions of the developed information society. The article presents the results of analysis of the impact of digitalization processes upon the various aspects of human life, social development and government institutions. The authors examine the issues associated with growing vulnerability of the national socioeconomic system in the context of globalization are examined; as well as conduct the analysis of the key vectors and peculiarities of the transformation of social relations alongside the problems of their legislative regulation brought on by digitalization. The article also considers the tasks for improvement of the principles, methods, functions and techniques in the work of the law enforcement system in terms of the development of information society and the resulting new threats to social security. For increasing the efficiency of solving applied and practical tasks related to transformation of the systems of legislative regulation and law enforcement in the conditions of digitalization, the authors propose using the methodology of scenario analysis that allows the possibility of information support and quality assessment of preparing and making decisions within the framework of managing the indicated processes. The utmost efficiency of using scenario techniques is reached in the process of preparation and assessment of the outcome of strategic solutions as it allows analyzing the alternative options in development of the situation within society and the state in the conditions of imperfect information and uncertainty. In solving tactical problems related to ensuring social stability, it seems reasonable to implement the aforementioned techniques in the process of preparation and assessment of the effectiveness of preventative and prompt measures of counteracting emerging threats. This work is financially supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research within the framework of scientific research project No.18-29-16151 “Development of the Methods of Managing Transformation of Law in the Conditions of Digital Technology”.

Keywords: law enforcement, scenario analysis, decisions-making, security, transformation, law, Information society, digitalization, simulation, efficiency

Abstract: The growing economic and political value of information opens a question not only about the technological development of the state in this area, but also ensuring security from information leakage and other threats to informations security. This article provides the review of major threats to information security in post-Soviet states, analyses of the basic measures of legislative and organizational character to combat them, as well as examines the cooperation of post-Soviet states in the area of ensuring information security within the framework of such organizations as Shanghai Cooperation Organization and Collective Security Treaty Organization. The authors note the existence of the mechanism of multilateral and bilateral character on preventing cybercrime, distribution of religious-extremist materials through social and telecommunication networks, along with limiting the use of Internet for the purpose of intervening the domestic affairs of the states. At the same time, it is necessary to find balance between the measure on preventing the state hazardous information propaganda and the freedom of civic self-expression.

Keywords: cyber terrorism, cybercrime, information society, information and communication technologies, Post-Soviet area, CSTO, SCO, international security, global politics, globalization

Abstract: This article examines the place and role of international terrorism at the present stage, its impact upon the socioeconomic and political process at the Near and Middle East, Europe, and Russia. The authors attempt to determine the level of independence of the international terrorist structures in planning, organization, and implementation of their activity. International terrorism as a factor that affects the global politics, has established in the late XX century. The most influential modern terrorist organizations Al-Qaeda, Islamic Stat (banned in the Russian Federation) have been established in the countries of Near and Middle East. The article analyzes the Russian and foreign literature, as well as applies the method of comparative analysis, problem-chronological and system approach. In the early XXI century, international terrorism raised a claim for their independent role as well as began involving significant number of the politically active population, including from Europe and Russia, to join their ranks. Over the recent 25 years, terrorist acts had been organized by the Islamist extremist groups practically all over the world, and claimed thousands of lives. The emergence of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria had to become the core of the “new caliphate”. The reasons of such activeness carry not as much political or economic character, but are much deeper. Today, the world faces the era of the new global crisis, associated with searching for ways of social development, formation of life prospects, and new meanings of human existence.

Keywords: proxy wars, USA, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, international terrorism, Islamism, foreign policy, Boko Haram, caliphate, modern society

Abstract: The object of this research is the question of establishment of national security in the Republic of Tajikistan within the framework of the system of regional security. The subject of this research is the vectors, forms, and peculiarities of ensuring national security of Tajikistan, as well as the key stages of establishment of national security within the framework of regional organizations. Main attention is given to the combination of factors that affected the establishment of the system of national security of independent Tajikistan: its domestic processes that took place at the moment of acquiring independence – civil war, proximity to the volatile Afghanistan, terrorist threats, overall situation in CIS after the collapse of USSR, relations with Russia ads the key ally, processes influenced the object of research as part of new CIS. The main conclusion lies in the thesis that any forms of national security of Tajikistan within the framework of the system of regional security and historical retrospective, as well as at the present stage, are “inseparably” tied to Russia, which must guarantee the security of state borders, and serve as a military and financial donor.

Keywords: cooperation, region, Tajikistan, Russia, threat to security, former Soviet Republics, stage, regional security, Collective Security Treaty Organization, Collective Security Treaty

Abstract: In the conditions of the increasing instability in the world, as well as due to the limitation and exhaustibility of the major energy resources, the ensuring of energy security becomes one of the most important problems of the highly developed states. The potential shortage of hydrocarbons causes the strive for controlling the rich with energy resources regions, which induces the states to use military force, beginning from military intervention and ending with creation of the military alliances and coalitions, which in particular are called to ensure their energy security. Fight for energy resources becomes more and more politicized, thus significantly influences the defensive policy of Russia. This article is dedicated to the questions of energy security of Russia and certain measures in involvement of the Armed Forces of Russia to ensure one of the key national interests – power.  The subject of this research lies in consideration of the question about the relevance of applying the Armed Forces of Russia for ensuring the power interests of the county, in other words, the military-political aspects of ensuring the energy security.  The scientific novelty consists in the attempt to analyze the need and role of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation in specific regions for protecting the national interests with regards to power within the country (Arctic, Crimea) and overseas (Syria), as well as the involvement of Armed forces in the fight against terrorism at the power objects.

Keywords: national interests, energy resources, energy security, globalization, armed forces, military policy, mineral wealth, strategy, threats to security, terrorism

Abstract: The subject of research is the legislation of China in the sphere of fighting espionage and high treason. In this context the evolution of Chinese laws starting from the period of Ancient China up until present days is considered. During the whole period of statehood existence the counter-espionage service of China has recognized the fight against the acts of espionage and high treason as a matter of top priority. The Chinese “Art of War” of Sun Tzu has laid the theoretical foundation for it. According to the existing legislation, for the commission of the indicated crimes the perpetrator has been always submitted to the capital punishment. It was during the ancient times as well as during the periods of the Civil War, the Resistance against the Japanese Aggression and the years following the foundation of the People’s Republic of China. Nowadays death penalty for espionage and high treason still exists. Except the criminal code, the legal system of China contains the unique law “concerning fighting espionage” (was adopted in 2014). In 2015 the new law “concerning state security” was adopted. In 2013 in the system of the governmental authorities a new Central Committee on National Security evolved, it is responsible for fighting espionage and high treason. All the above stated indicates that within the scope of the research the Chinese state possesses the distinctive law-making experience, which represents an issue of great interest for the national science in the framework of comparative law.

Keywords: Criminal responsibility, Counter-intelligence, Intelligence, Comparative legal studies, Death penalty, Legislation, Legal system, Treason, Espionage, China

Abstract: The subject of this research is the forms and methods of countermeasures against Russia that are currently implemented by the United States and their allies, and the level of their influence upon the development of our country. The author highlights a few significant milestones that have withstood contraposing sides, and notes that the drastic change in the relations happens after the “Crimean Spring”. In this struggle it will be Russia’s resilience that will determine the two key factors of modernity: first, whether or not Russia will be reborn and become a world power, and second, whether or not the United States will be able to remain the world hegemony. The stakes in this game are Russia’s national security, its development as an independent state, as well as its very existence as a country. The author examines four main vectors of confrontation between Russia and the allied forces of the West: revision of the results of the World War II, painting Russia as an aggressor, economic sanctions, and political isolation. The novelty of this research consists in the generalization of methods and means of humanitarian, economic, and geopolitical aggression against Russia and forecasting its consequences for the nation.Rigorous analysis of the facts and trends allows the researcher to conclude that Russia was forced to enter a period of long confrontation with the Western world.

Keywords: world leader, political isolation, economic sanctions, straight historical record, “Crimean Spring”, crucial point, aggressor, confrontation, information space, national security

Abstract: The subject of this research is the “Responsibility to Protect” concept, the key positions of which are contained in its basic document – the Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (2002). The author interprets the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine as a moderate version of the concept of “Humanitarian Intervention”. The author also conducts a comparative analysis of these two concepts from the perspective of controversy of the legal principle of state sovereignty and the moral imperative of protecting human rights. The scientific novelty consists in revelation of the fact that the concept of “Humanitarian Intervention” contradicts the international law while the “Responsibility to Protect” doctrine, if properly implemented on the international arena, represents the evolutionary development of this direction of international law, which requires devising criteria for practical realization of that concept by the global community.

Keywords: international law, "Responsibility to Protect" concept, humanitarian intervention, external intervention, armed intervention, interference in sovereignty, humanitarian actions, protection of citizens, protection of human rights, state sovereignty

Abstract: The subject of this article is geoeconomics as a methodological basis of geopolitical economy.  The object of this article contains the strategy of ensuring national security by developing geopolitical economy. The goal of this work is to increase the level of national security of the country via forming a strategy of establishing geopolitical economy of the country in the conditions of surmounting the global crisis. The author examines the notion and the concept of the influence of geopolitical economy upon ensuring national security, the functions and the role of geoeconomics within the post-crisis world order, the conditions and factors of increasing the geopolitical stability of the state by means of development national geoeconomics in the conditions of overcoming the global crisis. The scientific novelty of this research lies in the study of the concept of national security in conjunction with the notion and development of geopolitical economy, the formation of the foundation of geoeconomics as a science about geopolitical economy, as well as the description of laws of geoeconomics and the geoeconomic mechanism of national security.   

Keywords: management, globalization, analysis, factor, geopolitics, crisis, state, safety, economy, geoeconomics

Abstract: This article examines the socio-political and economic circumstances of emergence of private military corporations, linked to the collapse of the bipolar system and growth in the number of local and international conflicts. The authors highlight the advantages, disadvantages, and debatable aspects of the large-scale recruitment of private contractors for military operations. A special attention is given to the analysis of consequences of large-scale recruitment of private military forces for the military profession: loss of monopoly on professional knowledge, autonomy, corporate foundation, and transformation of professional ethics. The article analyzes a wide range of international publications that reflect the foreign experience of recruiting private military corporations for military operations. The authors conclude that despite such attributes of the private contractors as flexibility in usage of specific tools of force for achieving military-political goals, as well as lack of direct public and international criticism for using unpopular military measures, the large recruitment of private business for executing military functions is not always effective. In addition to that, the authors point put the threat to national security should the government functions be turned over to the private sector.

Keywords: national security, professional autonomy, military profession, neoliberalism, armed conflict, outsourcing, private military companies, economic efficiency, military effectiveness, civilian contractors

Abstract: The object of this research is the course of Japan’s foreign policy during the second term of Prime Minister Shinzō Abe (2012-2015). The subject of this research is the strategy for ensuring national security of Japan as a complex of measures on increasing the defense capabilities and security of Japan. A special attention is paid to the role of such program documents as “Main vectors of national defense”, “Medium term program of development of defense potential”, and “Security strategy”. Under the conditions of a highly volatile potential region of Northeast Asia, any changes to the positioning of the forces can result in serious systemic changes. The main conclusion of the research is that based on the results of the measures being undertaken by the Japanese government, there will be new accents made in the security architecture of the Northeastern Asia region.

Keywords: Asia-Pacific region, Northeast Asia, Liberal Democratic Party of Japan, USA, Japan, political science, national security strategy, defence policy

Abstract: This work is dedicated to the methodological and applied problems of improving the processes of information management under the circumstances of globalization and increase of tensions between the Western countries and Russia, as well as the instability of the global economy. The article presents the results of the analysis of the processes of the Complex Geopolitical Information Confrontation (CGIC) under the conditions of the growing international tensions as a result of the crisis in Ukraine. The authors review the problems associated with organizing an effective countermeasure against foreign and domestic destructive information influences, based on manipulative technologies and aimed at social destabilization of the country. Analysis is conducted on the negative influence of the activities of foreign non-governmental noncommercial organizations with outside financing upon the socio-economic development of the Russian Federation. The conducted scenario analyses demonstrated that the most important tasks at hand are the creation of a unified multilevel system of state management of protection of information sovereignty of the country, as well as provision of an efficient coordination of actions for deflection of the destructive information campaigns.

Keywords: social stability, information potential, countering threats, information management, geopolitical opponent, informational confrontation, globalization, scenario analysis, simulation, symbol graphs

Abstract: The subject of this research is the investment priorities of the oil industry of Russia and their financial capabilities to realize the oil projects under the conditions of current system of taxation, drop in the oil prices, fall of the ruble’s value, and sanctions. The need for a tax stimulus is being looked at from the point of view of the main segments of the industry – oil recovery; oil refining; hydrocarbon exploration; geographical changes of extraction; rationality of investments into large, medium and small petroleum businesses; prospects for development via organic and inorganic growth in the industry. In examining the financial sources for increasing the investment activity, the author highlights the possibilities and limitations of using personal and credit resources, direct and indirect participation of the government. The investment potential and risks of the industry are being assessed within the industry as a whole, as well as in the largest Russian companies by comparison with the leading foreign companies. The author concludes that the anti-crisis company programs must be based on the review of their portfolio of projects: reducing the portion of the costly projects of increasing yield for the HTR, while exanding the portion of the less costly projects of improving energy efficiency; systemic management of the operating, investing, and financial expenses of the company, as well as improving productivity. The government in turn must make decisive steps towards switching to the new regime of taxation that would insure a stronger interconnection of the financial result and taxes, and would stimulate development of new oil deposits and deep refining, allowing companies to make new plans for the future.

Keywords: oil industry projects, financing, investment potentials, investment activity, oil companies earnings, oil production taxing, taxes, economics, capital structure, tax benefits

Abstract: The subject of this research is the basic categories of the conceptual apparatus of the theory of national security: "danger" and "threat". Effective functionality of the system for ensuring national security of the state is impossible without a clear and unambiguous understanding of the essence and content of the basic categories in the theory of national security. Only unambiguous interpretation and understanding of these categories will allow the security subjects to provide quality planning of events on insurance of national security of the Russian Federation. The results obtained in the course of the research allow making a number of conclusions. Firstly, despite the lengthy study of the categories, "danger" and "threat" in the theory of national security were never taken to the point of a unified concept. Secondly, the implementation of these categories in the normative legal documents differs in nature and content, and does not fully reflect the essence of the processes that take place within the system of ensuring national security. Thirdly, the system of ensuring national security should be designed with consideration of both, the explicit and implicit (including unknown) hazards and threats, as only in this case we can speak about the possibility of implementing its functions. The author proposes solutions to the above problems.

Keywords: national security strategy, Federal law, Russian Federation, national security, security, threat, danger, categories in the theory of security, system of national security, state

Abstract: This article is dedicated to the history of development in regulation of renewable energy sources in the EU. In order to utilize the potential of the renewable energy sources it is necessary to create an additional energy market that would be based on this type of energy and contribute to the most effective methods of distributing this energy throughout the European Union by producing the bulk of it in the places that have the highest energy potential; for example producing solar power in the member-states located in the southern part of the EU. This research allows us to come to a conclusion on the general trend of EU toward the development of alternative energy and creation of a unified energy market. Despite the fact that the common energy market will raise many new technical questions, such as management and distribution of energy, the first task will be to set its foundation, i. e. the question of normative regulation that the EU will have to implement in order to achieve the goals of creating a separate market of renewable energy sources.

Keywords: European Union, Green Book, White Book, EU energy strategy, renewable energy, alternative energy, energy policy, energy market, energy potential, European law.

Abstract: Taxation of oil and gas industry in Russia is key to the well-being of the national budget in the conditions of instability of the global energy source market. Therefore improvement of the taxation system for this sphere is necessary in order to guarantee the national economic security of Russia. At the same time there are topical issues of the excessive wear of capital assets of oil and gas enterprises and lack of scientific and technical cooperation in this sphere, which could facilitate the modernization of the oil and gas industry of Russia and lower the prime cost of the mined national resources and stimulation of the development of the tight oil and gas resources. That is why it is reasonable to evaluate the existing systems of taxation of the oil and gas industries in the BRICS states (taking as an example Russia, Brazil and China). The goal of this study is to evaluate the existing system of taxation in the BRICS states and to offer the patterns for the possible improvement of taxation in this sphere in Russia. The object of the study is the existing taxation system in oil and gas industries in the BRICS states. The specific object of this study includes taxes and benefits, which are provided for the oil and gas companies, which are involved in mining, processing, export and import of energy sources. The result of this study includes analysis of the specific features of the taxation system in the oil and gas industry in the BRICS states (taking Russia, Brazil and China as examples). The author comes to a conclusion that the existing methods for the withdrawal of the super-profits in these states are not very efficient, then he offers to overcome this problem, using the differentiated approach to taxation of oil and gas companies based on the Rosenergo method, and he also offers to introduce the stimulation system for the scientific and technical cooperation in the oil and gas industry of Russia, which is similar to the system applied in Brazil.

Keywords: foreign economic activities, the VAT, the BRICS, oil, gas, tax, levies, excises, product sharing agreement.

Abstract: This article is devoted to the evaluation of the current situation in the sphere of Russian – Indian relations, and the changes which were introduced into them by the visit of President V.V. Putin which took place in December 2012. It is noted, that the foreign political relations of Russia and India are developing in two main formats – as a strategic partnership in support of national interests in the international arena, and as a regional centralism, which is aimed on limiting the role of non-regional players, who wish to become a dominating political force in the relevant region.

Keywords: political science, national security, politics, international relations, Russia, India, strategic partnership, regional cooperation, interests, values.

Abstract: This article includes theoretical approaches towards the role and functions of the National Security Council in the formation of the US foreign policy at the global and regional levels, as well as the problems of competitions among the political forces of various directions, specific features and patterns in the formation of such competition, as well as their influence on the priorities in the sphere of the US foreign policy. The author offers a new approach to the process of decision- making in the sphere of foreign policy in the USA, and clarifies the role of two key actors: the Department of State and the National Security Council. The article also include evaluation of the factor of competition between them and its influence on the contents and directions of the US foreign policy.

Keywords: political science, national security, foreign policy, international relations, the USA, the National Security Council, the Department of State, the political functions, conflicts, interests.

Abstract: The article reviews the history and development of the defi nition of the economic cycle, its classifi cation, the basic characteristics, comprehensiveness, and evidence of ambiguity in the development of economic structures. State mechanisms of action on cyclical processes of economic system and its subsystems at different stages of the economic cycle is mixed, some institutions and institutional systems, or “die” or adapt to changing conditions, and basic and the most conservative part, adapting, does not alter its essential and meaningful part of it. In forming the crisis and adjustment policies of the state at different stages of economic cycles is necessary to consider the interaction of opposing trends in their focus, action and effort.

Keywords: business cycles, the anti-crisis policy of the state.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the causes and bases for the Belavezha Accords, which have changed the geopolitical map of Russia and the whole world. Twenty years ago as a result of the Belavezha Accords the USSR was destroyed. Its liquidation should not be referred to as a disintegration, which is usually related to certain objective causes. The USSR was destroyed as a result of conscious activities of certain persons. The historical lessons, which the descendants have gotten is that even a great powerful state such as the USSR may come to the verge of destruction if the power in the state is in the hands of a comparatively small group of political adventurists, who pose their personal ambitions above the interests of the state and well-being of its people.

Keywords: political science, the USSR, the USA, the Belavezha Accords, the destruction of the USSR, geopolitics, international relations, national security, confrontation, foreign policy.

Abstract: The article includes an attempt to show the place of political risk within the system of national security of the state, which is the main goal of this article. From the point of view of studying the political risk, the author defines, firstly, the key threats (risks) of globalization to the state, secondly, he points out the growing value of optimization of economic relations between the federal centre and the regions, which in turn, presupposes the formation of supra-national, and regional subjects of economy, thirdly, the relations among nations and regions within federal formation become more topical in the sphere of stability and territorial integrity of the federation. The article shows that optimization of risky behavior should combine rational attitude to risks and prevention.

Keywords: political science, risk, politics, security, national, social, personal, state, system.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the goal of formation of the demographical ratings, the author offers the method of calculation of such ratings based on ratings of arrival and departure of migrants, and he also provides a brief analysis of the constituent subjects of the Russian Federation based on these criteria for 1990 – 2009. The author shows territories and Federal Districts with positive and negative tendencies of migration arrival and departure of people, as compared to the situation in the Russian Federation in general.

Keywords: economics, rating, regions, demography, position, migration, arrival, departure, birth rate, death rate.

Abstract: In this article the author based on the social studies analyzes the current social and political situation in the Republic of Kalmykia. The worries of the people are due to the worsening of the social and economic situation (unemployment, low level of income of citizens, labor migration, etc.), as well as ineffi ciency of the activities of the republican government bodies, which should be aimed to solve these problems. These problems led to the loss of legitimacy and authority of the regional government. This critical situation is so far latent and it is not expressed as open social protest. Its transformation to critical may have grave and irrevocable circumstances.

Keywords: political science, social and political situation, expert poll, legitimacy of power, destabilization, ineffi ciency, economic problems, labor migration, security, relative deprivation.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the political analysis of conceptual bases of national security of Russia in the condition of influence of a global factor, which casts its influence on national and regional security of the state.

Keywords: political science, national interests, strategy survival interests, globalization, priorities, development, imperative, threats

Abstract: It is true that corruption cannot be limited with the repressive means only. In order to solve this problem there have to complex institutional measures. That is why fi ghting corruption calls for institutional reforms. Corruption strategies are viewed as a result of institutional violations in implementing the key scenarios of development of Russia: “inertia”, “renter”, “mobilization”, “modernization”.

Keywords: sociology, corruption, strategies, reform, power, business, government, modernization, institutions, violations.

Abstract: The article is devoted to the political analysis of the situation in Asia-Pacific Region and tendencies of its development under the impact of the global factor influencing the state of the national security in Russia

Keywords: political studies, Asia-Pacific Region, tendencies, national interests, cooperation, geopolitical process, territorial claims, contradictions, strategy, national security

Abstract: The article is devoted to the influence of international factors on retention and development of Russian statehood. The author evidently proved the need for holding a structural modernization of economy of the Russian Federation and raising living conditions of Russian citizens as an essential condition for insuring state sovereignty and independence of Russia in the 21st century. The author studied international factors preventing from retention and development of a federal status and analyzed possible scenarios of development of the Russian Federation in a middle-term and long-term perspectives. The author also gave a number of recommendations on strengthening the federal status including formation of an ideological basis as well as global political, social and economic changes in the world.

Keywords: studies of law, international factors, historical experience, ideological basis, state sovereignty, advance development, Russian Federation, modernization, perspectives, people

Abstract: According to the author, the main principals of civil-military relations include the functional and social principles defined by Samuel Huntington. Based on Huntington, functional imperative is derived from the dangers for social security and the social imperative reflects the social structure, ideology and agencies with a dominating status in a political system. Interaction between these two imperatives interpreting military functions is a theoretical base of experience of civil-military relations. In difficult realities of a ‘security centralized’ world, civil-military relations reach a completely new level, — relations between a civil society and a forceful element of state power. According to the author, a new model of such relations must be supplied with international political and historical and cultural components in the first place.

Keywords: social studies, civil-military, Huntington, control, politics, security, society, state, professionalism, civil

Abstract: In the international context, special attention should be paid at functional and thematic structuring of a 'state hierarchy' within the system of modern international relationships through the prism of their 'political influence' as subjects of international security. According to the system approach, hierarchy of international security structure determines how state institutions behave, by 'suggesting' or openly 'forcing' their role within which these subjects of international security must perform their functions. In other words, the question is the 'functional roles' of state institutions as the key actors of international security. Based on their functional role, a state institution can be 1) 'superpower' or a global leader, 2) 'great power' (global), 3) regional leader, 4) 'average state', 5) 'small state'. Based on their role or a thematic function, a state institution can be a state-partner or a state-outsider. It is also necessary to distinguish the actual status of a state institution (its objective status based on its resource potentials).

Keywords: social studies, security, state institution, role, function, status, international hierarchy, typology, structured thematic approach

Abstract: The Northern Caucasus has always had its share of dynamic ethnic and political processes, which is due to geopolitical situation of the region, its complicated ethnic and religious variety, stages of its modern ethnic regional development, relations between the center and the regions. It is also quite important to consider the inclusion of the region into the system of trans-regional ethnic and political relations. The dynamics of these relations influence both regional and Russian political situation. And therefore it needs more attention. Keywords: sociology, ethnic policy, conflict, Northern Caucasus, Dagestan, typology, ethnic conflict, structure, situation

Abstract: This article is devoted to one of the key bases of methodology of formulation of the Concept of National security. As the author points out, if one dwells upon the supposition that there are three basic types of threats, then the Concept becomes three-dimensional, which would correspond to the correlation of threats in reality. Keywords: national security, the Concept of National Security, threats to the national security, classification, methodology