2024 Issue №3

The aim of this article is to propose and illustrate, through specific examples, a detailed list of factors influencing the transformation of the functional and spatial structure of the Saint Petersburg agglomeration in the period from 2020 to 2024, as analyzed by the authors. In this study, the functional structure of the urban agglomeration refers to its economy, employment structure, and specialization, while the spatial (geographical) structure refers to the settlement system, connected by transport and engineering infrastructure. The list of factors is based on the expert opinions of the authors, substantiated by quantitative parameters, and supported by relevant examples. The factors are examined at the structural-economic, economic-geographical, infrastructural, technological, innovative, and socio-demographic levels. The analytical basis of the research includes strategic documents at both regional and national levels, data from the SPARK-Interfax database, as well as departmental materials.

The article addresses the integration of ethnocultural aspects of the Arctic issues concerning the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Russian Far East (ISNP) into the socio-economic development strategies (SEDS) of the regions and municipalities within the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF). The study is based on the authors' methodology for content analysis of strategies, which enables the identification of the presence of various Arctic-specific topics in the texts. The content analysis of 61 strategies from Arctic regions and municipalities reveals a low level of implementation of federal regulations dedicated to supporting ISNP in regional and municipal SEDS. The development of the "nomadic schools" topic in the SEDS is also examined, and the strategies where this issue is covered are described. The article compares municipalities and regions of the AZRF based on the presence of ethnocultural topics in the strategies and their corresponding socio-economic indicators. A final grouping of municipalities is conducted according to the actual proportion of ISNP in the population of Arctic municipalities and the degree to which ISNP-related issues are reflected in SEDS, determined by the frequency of the marker word “Indigenous Peoples (ISNP).” Five groups of municipalities are identified, with particular attention given to Group IV: “Significantly Underrepresenting Important ISNP-Related Topics for the Municipality.” Additionally, the results of the municipal grouping highlight the prominence of regional boundaries. Differences in content analysis results based on the geographical location of the municipalities are identified. The article may be useful for providing recommendations to Arctic strategists on incorporating Arctic-specific issues into strategic documents.

The article addresses the dynamics of the representation of the Russian population in the Baltic republics during the rise of Russophobic sentiments in these countries from 2018 to 2023. The aim of the article is to identify current trends in the dynamics of the Russian ethnic population in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, considering the spatial characteristics of their settlement, and to compare this with the situation before the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The research is based on official data from national statistical departments, including the results of population censuses (both national and all-Union since 1959). The methodological foundation of the study includes general scientific methods (generalization, analysis, comparison), as well as statistical and cartographic methods. The study finds that the rate of decline in the number and share of Russians significantly increased after 2021, particularly in Estonia — by a factor of 10 in 2021 compared to 2020. Negative trends are observed across all regions. The highest representation of Russians in the ethnic structure of the Baltic republics remains in the capitals, border municipalities adjacent to Russia, and historically Russian-settled territories, where the decline in the Russian share is most pronounced.