Russian Cities Research Articles

Problems of Forecasting the Sustainability of Russian Cities in Modern Conditions

Problems of Forecasting the Sustainability of Russian Cities in Modern Conditions

Transparency and Its Manifestations in Russian Media Discourse: A Case Study of HC Traktor

The article explores the manifestations of transparency related to the Russian political management in 2018–2019. A discursive analysis included the media materials covering the decision by Chelyabinsk (the seventh largest city in Russia) regional authorities, without public discussion, to allocate significant funds from the city budget to support HC Traktor. The public discussion of this issue was widely reflected in the media. Civic activists accessed official online documents concerning the participatory financing and initiated an online dialogue with the authorities, disagreeing with their decisions, offering alternatives, and suggesting that internal political management be made more public. The study systematizes various aspects of transparency: openness, availability, clarity, democracy, visibility and accountability. Since new media and social networks play a key role in the interaction between the state authorities and public, the paper considers all the structural elements of modern media communication: addressees, target audience, channels of information, the content and form of publications, their perlocutionary effect. The results of our study proved that communicative success was reached by breaking language standards, polycode information delivery, and storytelling techniques. The perlocutionary effect of this transparent media communication was difficult and deferred. The public dialogue did not satisfy the initial public demand, but it did influence the management practices (further reflected in Russia’s federal legislation) and accompanied changes in the composition of regional elites. Keywords: Transparency, information society, public authorities, tropes, stylistic devices, storytelling.

Comparative analysis of architectural and landscape solutions of the Norra Djurgårdsstaden district in Stockholm and the residential complex “Scandinavia” in New Moscow

The reorganization of industrial clusters, the development of new territories attached to cities is a dynamic process of expansion, development and improvement of urban spaces in modern conditions. This process is typical for both European capitals and the largest cities in Russia. The article provides a comparative description of the architectural and landscape solutions of the implemented projects of development and improvement of the North Jurgardstaden district in Stockholm (Sweden) and the residential complex “Scandinavia” in New Moscow (Russia). Similar climatic conditions of the two capitals, the presence of complex terrain and water bodies in the built-up areas made it possible to study the techniques of the so-called Scandinavian "style" on the basis of architectural and landscape analysis of these urban quarters. The study of the functional organization, architectural and landscape solutions, spatial and coloristic expressiveness of the North Jurgardstaden district in Stockholm and the Skandinavia residential complex in New Moscow allowed us to critically evaluate the copying of design solutions without taking into account the specifics, urban context and scale of a specific territory.

Demographic Characteristics of Labor Resources Formation and Use in the Largest Cities of Russia in 2019–2021

The article examines the demographic characteristics of labor resources formation in Russian cities with a population of over a million. The research reveals the role of migration in replenishing largest cities’ labor resources, which corresponds to E.G.Ravenstein’s law that large cities grow mainly due to migration. Based on indicators of demographic well-being, the author gives an assessment of the demographic situation in the largest cities. It has been established that during the pandemic, the intensity of migration processes decreases, and its recovery occurs in cities at different rates. The article presents an analysis of structural changes in employment for large groups of industries and types of economic activity– commodity-producing industries, infrastructure, and social spheres. The reserves for increasing employment in the largest cities are considered. Emphasis is placed on increasing the labor activity of internal migrants, who have advantages compared to foreign labor. The research reveals a significant differentiation of wages across the largest cities, which creates unequal conditions for the reproduction of the labor force. It also determines ratings of the largest cities in terms of generation replacement, employment, unemployment, wages, and the social sphere. The author proposes a development in the system of strategic planning documents of a block of indicators characterizing the achievement of demographic well-being and increasing the efficiency of using the labor potential of the largest cities.

Духовное кольцо Пскова

Pskov is an ancient Russian city known for its unique architecture, rich historical and cultural heritage. It attracts many tourists annually. Pskov architecture is an integral part of Russian culture and art. The paper presents brief overview of the tourist walking route around Pskov. However, this route forms a kind of sacred ring, including the external band of stone walls of the Kroma stone. It is an example of a unique architectural school of military architecture, temple heritage, and fresco painting. Hence, Pskovites preserved sacred traditions from ancient times, and successfully involved the modern architectural decisions into national art development.

Regional brand: the essence and formation model

The most critical resource for development and promotion of Russian regions and cities, along with other strategic management tools, is regional bran ding. Branding effectiveness depends on many conditions, including the depth, consistency and scientific understanding of the brand as a tool of a region’s attractiveness. Using a theoretical analysis of scientific literature, the article explains the concept of “regional brand” in terms of key characteristics definition that reflect the specificity of the term. The results of the study concluded that the development and promotion of a regional brand is a complex process which starts with the formation of an integrated system of brand elements. The analysis of experience in designing of the Russian regions’ own brands and the use of the structural modeling method allowed to present a regional brand formation model, describing the main elements of the brand. In the presented model the following six elements were identified: brand platform, positioning, internal brand power, external brand power, communications, resonance. The correlation of each element in the overall system, their importance and influence on the formation of the image and increase in effectiveness of a region’s promotion were determined. The obtained results may be required by representatives of regional administrations that address the branding of territories issues.

Experience of Leading European Global Cities in Attracting Foreign Direct Investments and Labor Migrants: Opportunities for Use in Russia

This research examines how Russian cities can learn from leading European global cities in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and foreign labor migrants. It emphasizes the link between migration and investment flows in global cities specialized in specific services. Global cities play a crucial role in attracting transnational factors of economic growth, with migration being a significant factor. The study analyzes the potential benefits of migration to global cities, including increased trade and capital flows. This benefits both the countries of origin through remittances and the global cities themselves through FDI. European global cities, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Madrid, Frankfurt, Vienna, Zurich, Dublin, and Berlin, are major centers attracting FDI and labor migrants. Each city has its own specialization and competitive advantages, contributing to the global division of labor. Building on previous research, the study analyzes the attracting factors identified by the City of London for FDI and foreign-born skilled personnel. It aims to identify applicable opportunities for Moscow and St. Petersburg, the leading Russian global cities. While Moscow and St. Petersburg are well-ranked, other Russian cities have limited recognition. The research plans to expand to other Russian global cities, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of global city development. The research explores how Russian cities can leverage the experiences of leading European global cities to attract FDI and foreign labor migrants. By doing so, Russian cities can foster economic growth and enhance their global standing.

The state in search of intellectual resources: The image of scientist in the perception of Russians

Under global challenges, the Russian state looks for ways to develop the national intellectual potential as a guarantee of technological sovereignty and country’s competitiveness. National research universities are supported, grant mechanisms for research activities are implemented, and programs for attracting and promoting young scientists are adopted. However, some objective indicators show persistent problems in the academic sphere: the number of research staff declines; “brain drain” continues; the number of graduate students and people who defended the thesis is not enough to solve the key problems of the state. The article considers social representations of the prestige of the scientific profession and the image of the scientist as factors that have a negative impact on human resources in the academic field. The research consisted of two stages: 1) 21 focus groups in 7 large Russian cities to identify the prestige of the scientific profession among three generations; 2) 207 interviews with students of Moscow universities (as the main source of personnel for scientific activities) to get a more detailed understanding of the image of the scientist. According to the results of the study, none of three Russian generations consider the profession of the scientist prestigious (inferior to politicians, businessmen, artists, bloggers, and IT specialists). The youth feel social injustice more acutely: they note the exceptional importance of scientists for national development, outstanding intelligence and complexity of this profession, but consider scientists an undervalued and low-income group. The image of the scientist is extremely distanced from the youth and is not an attractive vector of social mobility. One of the key reasons for the current situation is the absence of scientists in the Russian information space. Neither on television, nor in cinema or on social networks the image of the scientist is attractive to younger generations. If efforts are not made to eliminate this contradiction, the shortage of personnel in science will worsen, which would jeopardize the implementation of Russia’s national development plan.

The Vietnamese Market in a Post-Soviet City: History, Social Boundaries, and Infrastructure (A Case Study of Magnitogorsk)

The phenomenon of ethnic markets, most often Chinese, in Russian cities has been long studied, but the mechanisms behind the formation of similar markets characterized by the ethnicity of other migrant groups such as the Vietnamese, remain unclear. Taking Magnitogorsk as an example, this article seeks to answer the following questions: how does a “Vietnamese” market emerge, what meanings do city residents attribute to this construct, and what role does it play in the everyday life of various migrant groups. The source base includes results from fieldwork in Magnitogorsk, archival documents, and both electronic and print media. The methodological framework of the manuscript encompasses analytical sociology, mobility theory, and the concept of the right to the city. It was established that the Vietnamese market does indeed exist in the minds of Magnitogorsk residents; however, it quickly evolved as the focus of the host community shifted to migrants from Tajikistan. The presence of the latter served as a basis for redefining the boundaries of “our” and “foreign” locations, with visitors from Vietnam becoming merely an addition to the general structure of interactions between “locals” and “migrants”. The infrastructure of Vietnamese “guests” is as concealed as possible, which is caused by their role as a minority subjected to various discriminatory practices. The hypothesis is that the market, labeled by the townspeople as Vietnamese, and its location, became the organizational foundation for the development of the social infrastructure of other migrant groups, primarily the immigrants from Tajikistan.

Features of the economic development of ancient Russian and German cities in the XII – first third of the XIII century

The subject of the study is the economic life of the city of Ancient Russia and the medieval city of Germany. The object of the study is an ancient Russian and Western European city in the XII – first third of the XIII centuries. For more than a century, the debate has been going on about whether Russia is following its own special path of development, different from the Western one, or whether our country is developing in the general direction of the world historical process, lagging behind Western European states for various reasons. The appeal to the economic problems of the city is due to the exceptional importance of the economic sphere of life, it determines the course of all processes taking place in society, affecting the other subsystems of society. For comparison, we have chosen one of the dominant political centers of Russia in the era of fragmentation – the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and the cities of Germany, which are a classic example of a medieval city in Western Europe. The work used a comparative historical method that allows us to identify common and specific features of the development of the economic sphere of the urban centers of Ancient Russia and medieval Europe in order to reveal the versatility of the phenomenon of the ancient Russian city. The ancient Russian and medieval German city in the XII – first third of the XIII century had a deep connection with the nearby agricultural district and were agrarian in nature. Despite this, the most important direction of the economic development of the cities of Vladimir-Suzdal land and medieval Germany was their development as trade and craft centers. Merchant associations operate in both countries, and active trade and credit operations are carried out. Both cities were distinguished by the differentiation of the craft and its narrow specialization. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that a comparative analysis of the level of economic development of a significant number of ancient Russian and German medieval cities was carried out. As a result of the study, it was concluded that in German cities of the High Middle Ages, a special urban world was developing, characterized by strict regulation of almost all aspects of the life of citizens. The ancient Russian cities, on the contrary, did not develop a specific urban law that would operate only within the city walls.

Large Russian Cities and Their Suburbs as Centers of Attraction for Internal Migrants

Large Russian Cities and Their Suburbs as Centers of Attraction for Internal Migrants

Образ «чужого» в инфраструктуре российского города (на примере Челябинской области)

The article aims to identify the criteria of the "image" of a migrant and "migrant" infrastructure, to describe the problems of interethnic relations, integration of migrants from Central Asia in a Russian city (using the examples of cities in Chelyabinsk region). The author relies on 540 interviews with the local population of six cities of the region (Chelyabinsk, Kopeysk, Magnitogorsk, Miass, Zlatoust, Troitsk), as well as the results of observations, content analysis of mass media and Internet resources. The quantitative and qualitative characteristics revealed in the course of the research allowed us to characterise the image of the "alien", the structure of urban space in the dichotomy "native"-"alien", to identify the problems of interethnic relations, to describe which objects are given the status of "migrant" and through what markers this happens. Particular attention is paid to the image of the "alien" in the media and various Internet resources, which largely shape public attitudes towards migrants and where the latter are most often endowed with negative characteristics (settling by large families and thus "taking over" entire city districts, illegally occupying jobs and entire spheres of the regional economy). It is concluded that the image of the "alien" and "migrant" infrastructure in the media is formed under the influence of national, ethnic and class stereotyping, a limited set of life contexts, impersonality and passivity of migrants. It was revealed that a significant part of negative attitudes of the local population towards migrants is projected onto quite specific objects of urban infrastructure (markets, educational and medical institutions, "dangerous" neighbourhoods, etc.) and the spheres of activity (shuttle buses, trade, construction, etc.).

Как и почему «человейники» разрушают социальный комфорт мегаполисов?

The problem of construction of residential areas in large Russian cities in the form of so-called ‘human buildings’ in the form of a concentration of high-rise apartment buildings (MKD), which arose several years after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, is becoming more and more aggravated every year. MKDs are often built in violation of current building codes and regulations; almost all new residential complexes lack the necessary social infrastructure (primarily kindergartens, schools, clinics), which, in the absence of sufficient space for residents’ personal cars, creates conditions for uncomfortable living in MKDs. This approach does not correspond to modern ideas about the comfortable life of people in large cities, and it does not take into account such an important factor as internal mass migration (the outflow of residents from the northern and eastern regions of the country).

Definition of the city in the legal aspect of urban development

The article provides a general overview of the definition of a city in the legal aspect of urban development. The relevance of the study is due to the lack of a generally accepted legally fixed definition of a city at the federal level, the variety of interpretations of this concept at the regional level and the identified cases of inconsistency of administrative boundaries with real urban boundaries. This leads to the fact that the established categories of settlements are often a reflection of administrative management, rather than the real spatial structure; there is no clear understanding of the degree of real urbanization of Russia and the number of cities in it. The study examines cases of inconsistency between the administrative boundaries of cities and their actual spatial characteristics. The object of the study is the definition of the city, the subject of the study is the representation of the concept of the city in the legislation regulating urban development.The article analyzes the upper-level regulations, laws on the administrative and territorial structure of various subjects of the Russian Federation, and statistical data. Various approaches to the concept of a city in the legislation on the administrative-territorial structure of the subjects of the Russian Federation are identified and the signs of classifying a settlement as a city contained in them are considered. It is established that the definition of a city in the legal field is vague, its urban planning and spatial planning aspects are lost. The city ceases to be considered as a real physical space and is replaced by administrative-territorial and municipal categories. It is necessary to develop a unified conceptual framework and criteria fixed at the federal level for classifying settlements as urban, taking into account regional peculiarities. The development of a unified methodology for determining the criteria of urban structure based on spatial characteristics will help determine the number of cities in Russia and determine the real degree of urbanization of the country.

Costs of Coal Abatement for Residential Heating to Reduce Urban Air Pollution in Asian Russia: Evidence from Krasnoyarsk

Heat and electricity generation are major sources of air pollution in many large cities worldwide. In Siberian cities, the heat supply significantly contributes to air pollution, as coal remains the primary energy fuel in most of Asian Russia. Krasnoyarsk, the second-largest city in the macro-region by population, serves as a clear example of urban air pollution. In recent years, public authorities have implemented several measures to reduce pollutant emissions. These measures include modernizing thermal power stations, replacing inefficient small boiler houses, and converting residential heating to more environmentally friendly types of fuel. However, our analysis shows that these policies have not yet resulted in a significant transition away from using coal for heating. One of the primary reasons is that alternative fuels are unable to compete with coal in terms of price. The proposal suggests transitioning private households to pellet heating. Our goal is to evaluate the potential environmental and economic impacts of this measure. We estimate the necessary subsidy size for the successful implementation of both initiatives. In conclusion, converting households from coal to pellet heating can reduce the emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and suspended particles by 0.2%, 8.5%, 4.4%, and 2.7%, respectively, of the total pollutant emissions in Krasnoyarsk. Furthermore, this conversion can provide economic benefits by supporting local pellet producers who heavily rely on export markets. If practically implemented, the proposed approach could solve one of the most significant development issues of one of the largest Russian cities within a few years, with only 2.5% of the annual city budget expenditure.

Results of the Project “Cultural Diffusion of The Circassians of Russia and Turkey: Art Historical and Socio-Cultural Analysis”

Three years of work under the Project “Cultural Diffusion of the Circassians of Russia and Turkey: Art Historical and Socio-Cultural Analysis” coincided with both difficult epidemiological situation in the world, and with known political and economical problems. Despite these hardships, the research team has managed to produce many research outputs, including an electronic Encyclopedia of Circassian artists, that has information about 162 Circassian artists and more than 500 illustrations with data, from Adyghea, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, different cities of Russia and Turkey. In this paper the result of the project are summarised under the philosophical, cultural, culturological, and socio-cultural clusters. The research study concluded that the phenomenon of ethnic separation is a complex object of study both in theory and practice. In this regard, in our study we first focused on the substantiation of the concept of "ethnic art" and the idea of how the mechanisms of cultural penetration into the existing systems of a divided ethnic group work. In the case of the Circassians the desire for reunification is limited to cultural contacts, where the culture of the metropolis often acts as a donor for the diaspora majority of Turkey. An analysis of the functional ties between parts of a divided ethnic group shows that for the Circassians of the diaspora, contacts with fellow Caucasians are a breeding ground for preserving the language, familiarizing with professional culture, and promoting various types of art - musical, theatrical, choreographic. For the Circassians of the metropolis, the culture and folklore of the Circassians of the Diaspora is a resource for the renewal of artistic culture in all its forms and genres. The so-called "genetic memory" is triggered in both, reinforcing the ethnic identity, and allowing the subjects to feel a spiritual unity, a collective sense of security, a common past, a common history and mutual ancestors.

Dynamics of political electoral preferences among residents of closed cities in Russia (1995-2003)

This study explores the political aspect of closed cities, which is understudied compared to their managerial and economic aspects. The author examines the association between the status of a closed city and political preferences in 1990s. The study suggests that closed cities were strongholds of both liberal and anti-communist voting. It also hypothesizes that the differences in political preferences between closed cities and the rest of Russia diminish over time. The author collects electoral data from 1995 to 2003 and employs regression analysis, finding support for these hypotheses. However, the effect of voting for the “party in power” varies depending on the specific party project. This research contributes to understanding the political uniqueness of closed cities, considering their regional characteristics and social capital.

ТИТУЛОВАННЫЕ ОГНЕБОРЦЫ РОССИИ: ЕЁ ИМПЕРАТОРСКОЕ ВЕЛИЧЕСТВО ЕКАТЕРИНА II

The article analyzes the activities of Empress Catherine II to ensure fire safety in Russia. It is shown that Catherine II is rightfully the defender of the Fatherland from fires. It was she who first introduced the positions of brandmayors in the capitals, completed the formation of police fire brigades with permanent personnel. She continued fire-resistant construction in Russian cities, thus continuing the work of Peter I. Her brief biography is presented and her achievements in the field of state administration are noted.

The significance of architectural, technological and environmental aspects in building environmental certification systems

The criteria for environmental standards in construction include requirements for organizing a sustainable territory, reducing the consumption of water and energy resources, using environmentally friendly materials, rational waste management, and creating a favorable microclimate for users. The main goal is to study architectural, technological and environmental aspects in international (LEED, BREEAM) and Russian (GOST R 70346-2022, GOST R 54964-2012, KLEVER, GREEN ZOOM) systems that influence the formation of the architectural environment in Russian cities. The research methodology used is complex with mathematical analysis of requirements and their comparison. The distribution of criteria is not balanced. Engineering and technological activities predominate. It is necessary to increase the criteria for environmentally friendly architectural and planning solutions. The role of the architect in the certification of the object should be increased.

Modeling Sediment Production In Urban Environments: Case Of Russian Cities

The aim of this study is to provide a tool to assess sediment production in an urban area. The urban environment is affected by a variety of anthropogenic and natural factors that, in particular, lead to the sediment production. The storage of sediments in the urban landscape negatively affects the quality of the urban environment. The model was developed on the basis of landscape studies conducted in residential areas of six Russian cities. The model takes into account (1) the influence of precipitation, spring snowmelt, and vehicles, (2) the influence of erosion factors for two seasons: warm (t>5°C) and cold (t<5°C), and (3) the presence of disturbed surfaces. The application of the developed model to Ekaterinburg city conditions returned sediment production equal to 1.2 kg/m2/y. A comparison of seasonal values shows that sediment production in cold season is 2.5 times higher than in the warm season. In the absence of the disturbed surfaces, sediment production decreases to 0.44 kg/m2/y. Modeling showed a correlation between sediment production in Russian cities and duration of the cold season. The efficiency of various urban area maintenance practices and cleaning measures were evaluated in terms of sediment production and storage. The developed model presented in this paper is based on research in Russian cities, but can be applied to assess the formation of sediment and measures to reduce the value of its accumulation in the urban environment in different regions of the world.