The "Spatial Development" issue is dedicated to a comprehensive examination of key trends, problems, and prospects for the development of Russia and its regions in the context of implementing the new Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 with a forecast to 2036 (approved by Russian Government Resolution 4146-r dated December 28, 2024). This strategy is oriented toward forming a balanced territorial organization of the economy in the country, increasing the production of goods and services for the domestic market, and growing added value by unlocking the potential of territories. In current geopolitical conditions, national security significantly depends on the successful resolution of these tasks.
Spatial themes have been a focus of VolRC RAS researchers throughout its historical development. The article by T.V. Uskova (Dr. Sci. (Econ.)) and S.A. Kozhevnikov (Cand. Sci. (Econ.)), "Spatial Development of Socio-Economic Systems in VolRC RAS Research," reflects the main stages of evolution, directions, and results of work in this problem field; it shows how the range of research questions has expanded, and how methodology and tools have developed; it also outlines priority areas for further development of research.
The journal address problems of the development of Russian federalism, interregional cooperation, and geostrategic territories in the context of achieving national development goals; significant attention is paid to issues of technological development of cities, polarization of economic space, and the reintegration of rural territories.
These issues are explored in detail in articles by leading experts on spatial development:
"Russian Federalism and a New Spatial Development Strategy" by E.M. Buchwald, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Institute of Economics, Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Moscow;
"Incentives for Interregional Cooperation in Federal Spatial Policy: Challenges and Opportunities" by O.V. Kuznetsova, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Deputy Director for Research, Institute of Economic Forecasting, RAS, Moscow;
"Management Institutions and the Sustainability of Geostrategic and Economic Development of the Arctic Territories of the Far East in the Modern Context" by B.H. Krasnopolski, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Chief Researcher, Institute of Economic Research, Far Eastern Branch of RAS, Khabarovsk;
"On the 'Ethnic Specificity' of the Spatial Development of Modern Russia" by A.G. Druzhinin, Dr. Sci. (Geogr.), Professor, Director, North Caucasus Research Institute of Economic and Social Problems, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don;
"Problems of Structural Transformation of the Far East Economy in the Context of Russia’s Spatial Development Polarization" by A.G. Isaev, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Director, Institute of Economic Research, Far Eastern Branch of RAS, Khabarovsk;
"Technological Development of the Russian Cities in a Hundred-Year Retrospective" by A.N. Pilyasov, Dr. Sci. (Geogr.), Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University; Professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics; Chief Researcher, Northern (Arctic) Federal University; General Director, Institute of Regional Consulting; and A.V. Kotov, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Senior Researcher, Institute of Europe, RAS, Moscow;
"Spatial Heterogeneity of Urban Development in the Context of the Formation of Economic Well-Being of Territories" by I.A. Antipin, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Assoc. Prof., Head of Department, Ural State University of Economics; and E.A. Shishkina, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Ural State University of Economics, Yekaterinburg;
"Rural Reintegration in the Russian Federation and Its Implementation Tools" by D.A. Gainanov, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Professor, Chief Researcher, Institute for Social and Economic Research – a separate structural unit of the Ufa Federal Research Centre, RAS; and S.A. Kirillova, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Assoc. Prof., Senior Researcher, Institute for Social and Economic Research – a separate structural unit of the Ufa Federal Research Centre, RAS, Ufa.
"Influence of Population Dynamics in the Regions’ Periphery on Economic Growth: Spatial Features" by P.V. Druzhinin, Dr. Sci. (Econ.), Assoc. Prof., Institute of Economics, Karelian Research Centre, RAS, Petrozavodsk
"Monitoring of the Economy: July 2025" by M.A. Sidorov, Junior Researcher, VolRC RAS; and E.V. Lukin, Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Senior Researcher, VolRC RAS, Vologda.
The articles in this journal issue will be of interest not only to academics but also to representatives of regional and local authorities, as they contain evidence-based proposals that can be utilized in public and municipal governance practices.
Full-text versions of the current issue's articles are available on the journal's website.