Rostov Oblast Research Articles

Demographic situation in single-industry towns of Russia: Evidence from Zverevo and Donetsk of the Rostov Oblast

Subject. This article discusses the demographic factor in the economic development of Russia. Objectives. The article aims to assess the demographic situation in the monotowns of Zverevo and Donetsk of the Rostov Oblast both taking into account the industry-specific orientation of their township-forming enterprises, and taking into account the assignment of an advanced-social-economic-development-area status to them. Methods. For the study, we used the descriptive and statistical methods of analysis. Conclusions. The assignment of the status of a Priority Social and Economic Development Area (PSEDA) to the monotowns under consideration did not bring about an improvement in the demographic situation. The industry-specific orientation of the township-forming enterprise does not affect the demographic situation in the monotown. The considered demographic problems of monotowns are relevant and should be taken into account when developing a strategy for the socio-economic development of these institutional entities.

TROJAN HORSE OF THE GREEK GOLDSMITHS

The paper analyzes the images on the gold gorytos covers of the second half of the 4th century BC (fig. 1). These items were found in the Chertomlyk kurgan (now the Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine), the Melitopol kurgan (now the Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine), the kurgan near the town of Ilyintssi (now Vinnytsia Oblast, Ukraine) and the kurgan 8 from group of Piat’ bratiev (Five Brothers) near the stanitsa Elizavetinskaya (now the Rostov Oblast, Russia).
 All gorytos covers are of the same size. They were made using a bronze matrix (or a set of matrices) at the same time and in the same workshop.
 Most modern researchers accept the interpretation of the central images on the gorytos covers as the scenes from the life of Achilles, the hero of the Greek epic, who was revered by Greeks as divine protector. K. Robert proposed this interpretation in 1891. B. V. Farmakov­sky singled out five scenes from the life of Achilles which sequentially represent the Hero from his childhood to the death (fig. 2: 1).
 In this paper the author identifies nine scenes (fig. 2: 2). Upper frieze: 1) a young man (possibly Apollo) teaches the boy Achilles archery; Thetis stands side by side, she worries about the fate of her son Achilles (fig. 3: 3); 2) Achilles says his mother Thetis goodbye before leaving to the island of Skyros; 3) Odysseus finds Achilles on the island of Skyros; 4) Deidamia, the wife of Achilles, runs away in despair; 5) Peleus hands over his weapon to his son Achilles.
 Lower frieze: 6) Briseis regrets her fate as a slave (fig. 3: 1—2); 7) Zeus establishes the events in the fates of the heroes (fig. 3: 4); 8) Achilles accepts the gifts from Agamemnon and makes peace with him, a wounded Odysseus is standing beside him; 9) Thetis carries the bag with ashes of Achilles and mourns his death (fig. 3: 5). All scenes tell about the events that preceded the manifestation of Achilles as a great warrior and hero: the beginning of warfare training, the events on the eve of the beginning of the Trojan War, the events at the walls of Troy and the quarrel with Agamemnon. Perhaps these images are associated with the magic of knowledge about the beginning, about the origin. In this case, this is knowledge about the origin of Achilles as a hero. Such magical knowledge made it possible to wield the power of the Protector Hero and direct it to the right direction like a prayer or a spell.
 Gorytos was the Scythian weapon. This gorytos series was made in some workshop of a Greek city-state, possibly in the Bosporus kingdom. They were donated to the Scythian rulers with a secret purpose: with the help of magical images to restrain the warlike moods of the Scythians, to pacify them. Therefore, these gorytos were like a wooden horse which, according to the Greek epic, the Achaean warriors left as the so-called gift of Troy and with its help captured this impregnable city.

Identification of Heavy Metal Compounds in Technogenically Transformed Soils Using Sequential Fractionation, XAFS Spectroscopy, and XRD Powder Diffraction

The transformation of technogenic Cu and Zn compounds in technogenically transformed soils (Spolic Technosols) with high and very high concentrations of metals formed at the site of a natural tailings pond in the floodplain of the Seversky Donets River, the main tributary of the Don River (Rostov oblast, Russia) has been studied. The Technosols are compared to an unpolluted meadow-chernozemic soil (Fluvisol) outside the impact zone. The state of Cu and Zn is assessed using three sequential extraction schemes—Miller’s, Tessier’s, and BCR, as well as synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and analysis of synchrotron X-ray absorption spectrometry (XAFS) spectra. It is shown that the distribution of metals in soil is largely related to their properties, such as electronegativity, hydrolyzability, and softness parameter. As is observed, Cu mainly concentrates in the residual fraction (to 42%) and in the fraction associated with organic matter (up to 27%). The mobility of Zn in the studied soils is higher than that of Cu. Its main part (up to 56%) is in the residual fraction and the fraction associated with Fe and Mn oxides (up to 48%), especially with Fe(III) crystalline compounds. The combination of a three-stage BCR scheme with XAFS and XRD techniques is used for the first time. Most of the peaks in diffraction patterns of soil samples after the first and second extraction stages correspond to the authigenic sulfur-containing minerals, namely, wurtzite (ZnS with a hexagonal structure), sphalerite (cubic ZnS), covellite (CuS), and bornite (Cu5FeS4). Wurtzite is present in the exchangeable and reducible fractions. These fractions also contain chalcocite (Cu2S). Sulfides are most abundant in soil sample after extraction of the oxidizable fraction, while phyllosilicates are prevalent in the sample after extraction of the reducible fraction. X-ray absorption spectroscopy demonstrates molecular structural changes in the Zn and Cu compounds in heavily polluted soils, suggesting the transformation of metals under different environmental conditions, which is important for assessment of the soil protective function.

История изучения среднего палеолита Северо-Восточного Приазовья и нижнего течения р. Северский Донец

The article is devoted to the history of the study of Middle Paleolithic archaeological sites on the territory of the Lower Donbasin, within the limits of the modern Rostov oblast. The author identifies and characterizes the main stages of the study of Paleolithic sites located in the North-Eastern Azov Sea region and in the lower reaches of the Seversky Donets River. Special attemntion is paid to the history of works carried out at the key sites of the region, including Nosovo, Rozhok 1, Biryuchia Balka 2, etc.

“Fragile representation” or Women in Big Politics: The Case of the Administrative Elite

The research of the feminization of administrative politics is important to understand the transformation of power and the overall development of the Russian society amidst political, economic and social instability. This article presents the study results for the administrative elite in ten Russian regions (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Leningrad, Rostov, Kaliningrad, Kostroma and Novosibirsk Oblasts, Khabarovsk and Stavropol Krais, Republic of Dagestan). The analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of the administrative elite showed no significant differences between men and women in terms of age, birthplace, as well as the type and the place where first (and subsequent) higher education was received. Studying the career trajectories of women in the ministerial elite showed that they most often occupy elite positions, like men, in middle age, but less often come from economic and security structures; horizontal and vertical movements mostly take place within the same professional institution - executive power agencies. The author identified regional governments with similar gender specifics (relative gender parity and relative gender imbalance). The study revealed that more feminized governments are formed in bordering and economically successful regions, while gender imbalance is most characteristic for the governments of economically dependent regions and those located in the south of the Russian Federation (with some exceptions).

Rol' pravoslavnogo duhovenstva v vozrozhdenii religioznoj zhizni na okkupirovannoj territorii Rostovskoj oblasti i ego yuridicheskie posledstviya

The article deals with the processes of the religious revival during the Nazi occupation in the territory of the Rostov Oblast during the Great Patriotic War. The authors analyzed the activities of the clergy, in particular the activity of bishop Iosif (Chernov), their relationship with the invaders, and the scale of the repression against the clergy for collaboration with the Germans during the occupation period.

Университетский и региональный ландшафт российской аспирантуры, финансовые траектории обучающихся

Training of a new generation of graduate students plays a key role in ensuring a country’s sustainable socio-economic development and active enhancement of human capital by continuous reproduction of cutting-edge knowledge in the form of research and development (R&D) for industry. In this context, it becomes important to examine the development dynamics of doctoral studies in Russian regions, as well as the graduate students’ financial well-being affecting their educational mobility and general opportunities to receive education (in particular, necessity of employment). The development of doctoral studies is analysed taking into account the distribution of resources (financial, intellectual) by regions and universities. The study also considers the concentration of resources in Russian universities capable of generating breakthrough ideas and technologies, which can be seen as centres of attraction for proactive youth. The methods of secondary data analysis, comparison, classification, and infographics were applied to process information. Such data as the monitoring of the effectiveness of Russian universities in 2014-2020 and sociological surveys of graduate students of a leading Russian university for 2017-2020 were analysed. As a result, the study presents a map showing the concentration of graduate students in certain regions, which takes into consideration their number, inflow and outflow. In addition to the capital regions (their share is 47.9%), the Republic of Tatarstan (3.2%), Tomsk oblast (2.4%) and Sverdlovsk oblast (2.1%),where leading Russian universities are located, were revealed to be the centres for attraction of graduate students. The top 7 regions also include Belgorod (the share of graduate students is 2.7%) and Rostov oblasts (2.4%) characterised by the presence of strong research and federal universities. However, due to the lack of funding (85% of graduate students have to combine work and studies), the outflow to foreign universities is increasing even in the regions that attract a large number of scholars. The obtained findings can be used to improve the mechanisms for supporting graduate students in order to contribute to sustainable development of regions.

АКТУАРНАЯ ОЦЕНКА ПЕНСИОННЫХ ПРАВ В ДОБРОВОЛЬНОМ ПЕНСИОННОМ СТРАХОВАНИИ

Using actuarial methods on the basis of official statistical data for Russia and Rostov Oblast, the paper estimates the amount of net premium that must be paid to receive a pension corresponding to the average size, and the amount of potential pension that can be expected if the net premiums equal the contributions paid to the Pension Fund of Russia. An actuarial estimate was made for men and women living in urban and rural areas, without considering the settlement aspect. It is shown that voluntary pension insurance programs are a more promising way of accumulating future pensions for individuals starting their labor activity early than compulsory pension insurance. The necessity of using regional tables of mortality and life expectancy when introducing voluntary pension insurance programs has been substantiated.

Малые жанры фольклора калмыков: проблемы перевода (на материалах И. И. Попова)

Introduction. Proverbs and sayings are a genre of oral creativity that transmits the knowledge and experience of many generations. Paroemias are of practical importance for an individual as a member of society endowed with social roles and living by certain rules. The proverbs of the Don Kalmyks recorded by Ivan I. Popov also reflect the accumulated life experiences of previous generations, the wisdom of the people to have created them, their attitudes to values with due account of lifestyles and traditions of the ethnos. In this regard, translation of proverbs is difficult. Translating what is part of the culture of one people into another language is a complex process. Goals. The article aims to study Kalmyk-to-Russian translations of samples of paroemias contained in unpublished materials from the Popov Collection at the State Archive of Rostov Oblast. The scientific novelty of the work lies in that no studies to examine translation of minor Kalmyk folklore genres have been undertaken. Results. Knowledge of ethnic history and culture, spoken and literary Kalmyk language, painstaking collecting efforts, direct communication with informants allowed the collector to do accurate translations of samples of minor genres. Manuscripts of Ivan I. Popov demonstrate that he not only understood the meaning of a translated text but also possessed the phraseological richness of language, knew the oral tradition of the Kalmyks. The strategy of Popov’s translation is based on that he gives translations of proverbs and sayings reflecting the ethnic life realities, and in separate notes draws equivalents of paroemias from Russian folklore. So, the translation of proverbs into Russian is supplemented with notes in the manuscripts. In this case, Popov gives meanings of individual lexemes, patterns of their use in speech, sometimes specific contexts of use for paroemias are depicted. Ivan I. Popov, having perfectly studied colloquial speech of the Don Kalmyks, also turned to dictionaries, in particular, to the most complete dictionary of that time — the Mongolian-Russian-French Dictionary by O. M. Kowalewski, Mongolic grammars, textbooks, sources on the history and culture of the ethnos. All the above mentioned made it possible for the collector to do adequate scientific Russian translations of samples of minor Kalmyk folklore genres.

К сыну Есугея, избранному владыке Чингисхану, взывал я девять раз: текст Урюс сара в записи И. И. Попова

Introduction. Üres Sara, a holiday marking the beginning of summer, is one of traditional celebrations still observed among some Mongolic peoples, including Kalmyks. The celebration includes a whole range of ritual actions accompanied by recitation of special prayers. Goals. The paper introduces one such texts from the Don Kalmyk tradition that was recorded at the turn of the 20th century by Kalmyk folklore collector Ivan I. Popov to be further included into the 2nd volume of his handwritten collection of Kalmyk folklore and literature samples nowadays stored at the State Archive of Rostov Oblast. Results. The text entitled by Popov as ‘Ürsin Bičig’ (Kalm. ‘Text on Üres Sara’), according to his own description, was recited by the eldest family member at dawn. The incantation accompanied the process of kumiss libation (sprinkling), a ritual aiming at bestowing blessings to children and young cattle. In addition, Popov includes in the manuscript another text of aspiration prayer — Γadasuni Irügel (‘An Aspiration Prayer on the Stake [for Cattle]’). Probably, this prayer also belonged to the group of ritual texts accompanying the Üres Sara celebration and had some important functions in the ritual. Ürsin Bičig recorded by Ivan I. Popov is a unique sample of the ritual text accompanying the Üres Sara celebration. Due to historical circumstances, this type of literature has been almost lost by Kalmyks nowadays. This, in turn, determines the main aim of the article as to introduce the text of Ürsin Bičig recorded by Popov.

West Nile fever in Volgograd Oblast: features of the epidemic process’s manifestations at the present stage

Objective: To study the regional features of the West Nile fever (WNF) epidemic process manifestations using the example of the territory with stable and long-term pathogen circulation (Volgograd Oblast).Materials and Methods: We used the data of the Reference Center for monitoring the WNF pathogen based on the Volgograd Research Anti-Plague Institute of Rospotrebnadzor over 1999–2021. The main method is a comprehensive epidemiological method.Results: The long-term changes in the WNF incidence in Volgograd Oblast is characterized by a cyclical nature with an interval of 1–8 years and a tendency to decrease. The maximum risk of infection occurs in August (58.8%), but there is an increase in the number of cases in September. The average duration of the epidemic season is 8.4 weeks. Case fatality rate is at the level of 4.3%; the prevalence of the number of deaths in the group of 70 years and older (75%), as well as among men (63.6%) has been established. The greatest contribution to the incidence rate is made by the age group of 60 years and older (37.7%). Features of the clinical presentation include the dominance of forms without damage to the central nervous system (91.1%) and moderate clinical course (72.3%). The prevalence of the urban population among the infected was noted (85.5%).Conclusion: A comparative analysis of the clinical and epidemiological WNF manifestations in Volgograd Oblast, territories with a stable circulation of the pathogen (Astrakhan and Rostov Oblasts) and, in overall, the Russian Federation, established differences in the duration of cyclical fluctuations in incidence, seasonality (Rostov Oblast), age structure of incidence (Astrakhan Oblast), distribution of cases by the severity of the clinical course, the site of the alleged infection and social status.

Results of epizootic monitoring of natural foci of particularly dangerous infections common to humans and animals in Rostov Oblast

Objective: To analyze the results of epizootic monitoring of natural foci of particularly dangerous infections common to humans and animals in Rostov Oblast to establish their activity.Materials and Methods: The data of epizootic monitoring conducted by zoologists; the results of laboratory research of field material obtained in natural foci of infectious diseases. Descriptive, zoological, genetic, serological methods, and retrospective epidemiological analysis were used.Results: The results of the conducted epizootic monitoring showed the presence in Rostov Oblast of natural foci of particularly dangerous infectious diseases common to humans and animals. While the natural focus of the plague is in a depressed state and does not show activity, in the foci of tularemia, West Nile fever (WNF), Crimean hemorrhagic fever (CHF), ixodic tick-borne borreliosis (ITB), hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), Q fever, Batai fever, California serogroups, Syndbis revealed the antigens of these pathogens in biological material obtained from small mammals and blood-sucking insects, which indicates the epizootic activity of these foci. In the natural foci of WNF, CHF, ITB, HFRS, cases of these disease among the population were recorded, which confirms the epidemic activity of these foci.Conclusion: The obtained results of epizootic monitoring over the period from 2008 to 2020 emphasize the relevance and necessity of continuing these studies in natural foci in Rostov Oblast.

Developing an algorithm for rapid assessment of living standards and quality of life of the population in the region

The article presents the rapid assessment methodology that allows analysts to carry out qualitative monitoring of the living standards of the population using a wide range of methods for statistics processing (factor analysis, cluster analysis, discriminant analysis, method of combining indicators of different dimensions). This methodology is characterized by the high speed of mathematical calculations, availability to users with different skill levels and universal applicability to various study objects. The rapid assessment method is intended for screening the living standards of the population and activity quality of the territorial authorities, taking into account a different set of indicators. This article offers the author’s indicator system for assessing the living standards and quality of life of the population. The methodology algorithm describes flowcharts of the index method for combining statistical observations of different dimensions, which make it possible to automate the process of territory ranking. The study covers 12 urban districts and 43 municipal districts of Rostov Oblast. The methodology described in the article will help eliminate a subjective factor while monitoring, rationally distribute financial resources allocated annually by the authorities to support programs for socio-economic development of the territory, increase the economic efficiency and implementation speed of innovative projects that have a direct impact on the living standards and quality of life of the population.

О рукописи И. И. Попова № 13805 из Государственного архива Ростовской области

Introduction. The Inédites of Kalmyk Folklore from I. I. Popov’s Archive project aims at introducing into scientific circulation some 19th-century folklore materials recorded by Ivan I. Popov, collector of oral folklore of the Don Kalmyks. Goals. The article attempts an archaeographic description of the handwritten book Folktales of the Don Kalmyks (Russian translations) by I. Popov. Materials and Methods. The study analyzes the collector’s handwritten book containing forty two fairy tales and stored at the State Archive of Rostov Oblast. The main methods employed are those of archaeographic and textual description. Results. The archaeographic insight into the handwritten book reveals that its compilation meets some basic principles for such handwritten books — notes and drawings were made by hand. In his books, I. Popov tended to use and combine traditions of ancient Russian and Mongolian manuscript books. So, in accordance with the Mongolian book tradition, the folklorist uses frames and the birga sign in the design. Following the patterns of ancient Russian books, I. Popov duly designs titles of parts of the book, beginnings and endings of each fairytale distinguished with headpieces and closing elements, capital letters painted and enlarged. The afterword to the book was also written in accordance with the rules. Moreover, this handwritten book has postscripts containing valuable data on the collector’s biography.

The particular medical social problems of individuals of elderly and senile age as exemplified by the Rostov Oblast

The article analyzes dynamics of main indices of disability in population older than able-bodied age in the Rostov Oblast. The trend of decreasing of scope of examinations of individuals of the mentioned age group, including decreasing the number of first and iteratively recognized as the disabled, against the background of increasing in the population structure of percentage of individuals older than able-bodied age. At the same time, increasing of accumulated disability was established in the studied category of population.

War: Collective Farm and Prison. Interview with A.S. Filimonova from the Lebiazhenskii Hamlet, Sholokhovskii district, Rostov Oblast

War: Collective Farm and Prison. Interview with A.S. Filimonova from the Lebiazhenskii Hamlet, Sholokhovskii district, Rostov Oblast

Analysis of territorial waste management schemes of the most populated regions of the Russian Federation

Within the framework of the proposed article, the territorial waste management schemes of the seven most populated subjects of the Russian Federation are analyzed. The success of the reform of the national solid waste management industry is impossible without an adequate regional interpretation of the goals specified in the Industry Development Strategy and the corresponding Federal Project. The key indicators reflected in these documents are an increase in the share of municipal solid waste utilization, up to 36 %, for sorting — up to 60 % by 2024. The necessity to reduce the share of imported equipment for municipal solid waste treatment to 22 % is also highlighted. The authors of the article analyzed the territorial schemes of Moscow, the Moscow Oblast, the Krasnodar Krai, St. Petersburg, the Sverdlovsk Oblast, the Rostov Oblast, and the Republic of Bashkortostan. As a result of the study, it was revealed that in some of the analyzed regions of the Russian Federation an imbalance in the target indicators set in the territorial schemes takes place. In addition, the following disadvantages of the analyzed territorial schemes were highlighted: lack of a description of technological solutions which are planned to be used to achieve the key indicators, plans of commissioning of insufficiently high-tech facilities and construction of new landfills, almost complete lack of information on import substitution. The authors also noted the difficulties of gaining access to files with territorial schemes on the Internet, since there are no unified standards for their publication in Russia. This fact reduces the information transparency of the industry for both population and the expert community.

The Effect of Climatic Factors on the Electric Load of Thermal Power Plants (TPP) in the Southern Federal District by the Example of the Novocherkassk District Power Plant (GRES)

A statistical analysis was performed of the electrical load curve according to which the Novocherkassk District Power Plant (NсhGRES) operated in the period between 2009 and 2018. The effect of weather and climatic factors, such as daylight time, ambient air temperature, and wind strength, on the electrical load was examined. Climatic components of the NсhGRES electric load were estimated, and it has been demonstrated that the additional lighting load depending on the daylight time in Rostov oblast was as great as 35.4%, the seasonal heating load was up to 11.3%, and the seasonal cooling load was up to 20.2% of the normal baseload. It is shown that the basic heating load in Rostov oblast is carried by centralized and individual heat supply systems, and electric heating appliances are activated when the centralized heat supply systems cannot cover the heating load due to poor maneuverability. The heating component of the electric load depends not only on the ambient air temperature but also on the wind velocity. A formula was derived using the fuzzy logic technique for calculating heat consumption in a heating system depending on ambient air temperature and wind speed. It is noted that high wind speed aggravates the negative temperature factor, bringing about the need to turn on additional heating appliances and, thereby, increasing the electrical load. A fundamental change in the shape of the annual electric load curve within the studied period was revealed: the appearance of the summer maximum load whose amplitude in terms of the indicators approached the winter one and even exceeded it in certain years, which can be attributed to the climate change in the region of the power plant site and the advent of a new type of electrical equipment, i.e., climatic control cooling units. The maximum monthly power consumption of cooling units is 1.8 times the maximum monthly power consumption of heating units and 1.7 times less than the maximum additional monthly power consumption of lighting facilities. The maximum power consumption for each type of equipment occurs in different months of the year. This change is a stable trend that should be considered, in particular, in scheduling maintenance activities at the power plant.

Integrated Approach to Spatial Assessment of Soil Organic Carbon in the Russian Federation

An approach was developed and tested to spatial assessment of soil organic carbon stock in uniform groups of mineral and organic (litters, peat deposits, and peaty horizons of semihydromorphic soils) soil horizons. Estimation algorithm allowed us to utilize various datasets with different scales, both spatially and attributive sparse data of different veracities, which complemented each other. A series of maps of different accuracies and scales, including coarse-scale maps covering the entire country and more detailed maps for regions well covered with field measurements. Using these maps, the total organic carbon amount and its distribution over different pools in the 30-cm topsoil layer for the entire Russia and for three administrative regions of European Russia (more detailed) were estimated. The soil organic carbon pool of mineral soil horizons was estimated at 101 Gt C, which corresponded to 62% of the total organic carbon stock within the layer of 0–30 cm; 38% is allocated in organic horizons, including 9% in litter horizons (in rapidly decomposing organic pool) and 29% in peat deposit and peaty horizons of semihydromorphic soils. The organic carbon stocks in the 30-cm soil layer gradually increase from the north to the south: from 87 t/ha in Vologda oblast to 91 t/ha in Moscow oblast and 109 t/ha in Rostov oblast. The share of organic horizons in the total carbon stock decreases from the north to the south. Information on the size and structure of organic carbon pools may facilitate more reliable assessments of soil tolerance toward natural and anthropogenic changes and the development of regionally specific land use strategies.

Children's tourism in the regions of Russia: Some special aspects. The Rostov Oblast and Crimea case study

Subject. This article examines the particularities and problems of children's tourism, and its development in Russia. Objectives. The article aims to highlight the ways of further developing children's tourism in the regions of Russia. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of comparative, structural and functional analyses, synthesis, generalization, and systematization. Results. The article highlights the important features of children's tourism that must be taken into account when delivering a tourist product. Conclusions. Identifying and analyzing the factors of the development of children's tourism, improving infrastructure will ensure the competitiveness of children's tourism, contributing to the socio-economic development of the regions. It is necessary to improve the quality of the tourist product for children.