Development Trends of Subjects of the Russian Federation During the Pandemic Period

Abstract

There is a growing number of publications in the scientific literature on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the situation in national economies. The number of studies in which this problem is considered at the regional level is much smaller. At the same time, due to differences in the levels of development of regional economies, the impact of the pandemic on regional economies is different and differs from that recorded at the macro level. The research results presented in the article continue the publication of annual analysts on the development trends of the economies of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which began in 2012, however, it is based on a new methodology. The indicators used in the analysis are no longer related to the gross regional product. The authors made an attempt to determine: the existence of a relationship between the “quality of the social environment” of the regions and the economic activity carried out on its territory; to specify the sources of financing for the development of the social environment of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The author have identified the groups of regions where the provision of a certain level of social well-being can be achieved through the development of their own economy, as well as the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, where this is not possible in the short term. All groups of regions, except for the second, shows the absence of a strong correlation between the levels of social well-being and economic activity. It is indicated that transfers from the federal budget play a significant role in supporting social well-being in most constituent entities of the Russian Federation. They largely compensate for the lack of economic activity to finance costs. The question is raised about the need to move to a reasonably asymmetric model of building relations between the federal center and the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and a reasonably asymmetric model of interbudgetary relations adequate to it.