Aliluyeva N.A. (Voronezh). Charitable Activities of the Merchant Class for the Russian Imperial Navy during the Crimean War (1853-1856) (Based on the Materials of the Marine Collection Journal)
NATALIA ALEKSEEVNA ALILUYEVA
Candidate of Historical Sciences,
Associate Professor of the Department of History, Philosophy
and Socio-Political Disciplines
Voronezh State Agrarian
University named after Emperor Peter I,
1 Michurina St., Voronezh, 394087, Russia
e-mail: kudryavtzeva85@gmail.com
Abstract. The fighting during the Crimean War (1853 – 1856) contributed to a patriotic upsurge among various segments of the population of the Russian Empire. Members of the imperial family, the aristocracy, the nobility and the clergy donated significant sums of money and material assets for the victory of Russian weapons in the war. At the same time, the burghers and peasants gave their last money to strengthen the defense capability of the Russian Empire. The central place in the donations of the Russian population was occupied by the Russian navy and the sailors who defended the fortress of Sevastopol.
The scientific article examines the charity of the Russian merchant class towards the Russian Navy during the Crimean War (1853 – 1856). In the middle of the 19th century, the merchant class had substantial funds. Many merchants of the 1st guild were much richer than the aristocrats and clergy. Therefore, during the Crimean War, it was the merchant class that led the charity work. Merchants donated material assets and large sums of money to the sailors who defended Sevastopol. The charity of the merchant class was highly appreciated by the emperor and the official state authorities. Donations from merchants were published in the «Marine Collection» magazine, the official publication of the Russian Maritime Ministry. Merchants of all three guilds received orders, medals, and other insignia for charitable donations. The patriotic upsurge and charity during the Crimean War testified to the awareness of the responsibility of the general population for the fate of Russia. It can be argued that donations from the merchant class to the Russian navy represented one of the first steps towards the formation of Russian civil society. In addition, the charitable activities of the merchants during the Crimean War were an example of cooperation between official authorities and private capital to achieve state goals.
Keywords: The Crimean War (1853 – 1856), the defense of the Sevastopol fortress, the Russian Imperial Navy, charitable donations, official authorities, the merchant class, money, The «Marine Collection» Magazine, material assets
Khandorin V.G. (Moscow). Admiral Kolchak During the First World War Through the Eyes of Eyewitnesses
VLADIMIR GENNADYEVICH KHANDORIN
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Moscow State University of Technology and Management named after K.G. Razumovsky, Professor of the Department of History
109004, Moscow, Zemlyanoy Val, 73
e-mail: khandorin@mail.ru
Abstract. The article is a review and analysis of the memoirs of Admiral A.V. Kolchak during the First World War by his colleagues and subordinates (A.D. Bubnov, G.K. Graf, N.N. Krishevsky, N.N. Kryzhanovsky, R.R. Levgovd, D.V. Nenyukov, V.K. Pilkin, F.P. Rerberg, M.I. Smirnov, S.N. Somov, S.N. Timirev, A.I. Khoroshavin, A.M. Chernushevich). The object of consideration is three main periods of his activity in this war: command of a mine division in the Baltic Fleet, command of the Black Sea Fleet before the revolution and in the context of the revolution after the events of February 1917. The article examines memoirists’ assessments of A.V. Kolchak’s service and personal qualities, highlighting common trends and individual contradictions, as well as the perception of his personality by various strata of the Russian fleet and society through the prism of memoirs, taking into account individual subjective factors of these trends and perceptions. This, in turn, helps us to evaluate not only the personality and naval activities of A.V. Kolchak during the First World War, but also to partially understand the political role he subsequently played during the Civil War.
Keywords: A.V. Kolchak, World War I, Baltic Fleet, Black Sea Fleet, February Revolution of 1917
Vorob’ev D.A., Semenova M.M. (Kirovsk, Leningrad region). Transcripts of Conversations Between Participants in Operation Iskra to Break the Siege of Leningrad in January 1943
DMITRIY ALEXANDROVICH VOROB’EV
junior-reascher
museum-reserve “Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad”
187342, Russian Federation, Leningrad region, Kirovsk, Ladoga bridge, 2.
e-mail: dmitrij_vorobev_96@mail.ru
MARIA MIKHAILOVNA SEMENOVA
researcher
museum-reserve “Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad”
187342, Russian Federation, Leningrad region, Kirovsk, Ladoga bridge, 2.
e-mail: mariamisakova@mail.ru
Abstract. The article is devoted to a little-studied set of sources – transcripts of conversations between participants in Operation Iskra from the 4000 collection of the Central State Archive of Historical and Political Documents of St. Petersburg. The article examines the history of their creation in June – July 1943 during a business trip of employees of the Leningrad Institute of History of the CPSU (b), the structure of the questionnaires used in conducting interviews, and the specifics of working with respondents. Special attention is paid to the characteristics of the circle of authors, the variety of plots and the subject of memoirs of representatives of different levels of command staff. The analysis of differences in the narratives of staff officers, division and regimental commanders, as well as political workers is carried out, which makes it possible to identify the features of strategic, tactical, and moral-psychological perception of combat events. The importance of transcripts is noted as a source that preserves the “living voice” of the participants, their emotional assessments, everyday details and personal observations that are absent from official documents. It is shown that these materials have a high degree of reliability due to the recording conditions, the absence of strict censorship and the possibility of comparison with operational and memoir sources. The article highlights the scientific significance of transcripts as a valuable set of documents that opens up new perspectives for studying the Battle of Leningrad and breaking the siege.
Keywords: Great Patriotic War; battle for Leningrad; operation Iskra; breaking the siege of Leningrad; transcript; historical source
Medvedev S.V., Fedyakin A.V., Bazaev A.N. (Moscow). Minutes of Meetings of the Collegium of the People’s Commissariat of Motor Transport of the RSFSR in 1943 as a Historical Source
SERGEY VLADIMIROVICH MEDVEDEV
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor,
Associate Professor of the Department of History at the Russian
University of Transport (MIIT),
127055, Moscow, Obraztsova Street, 9, Building 9
e-mail: speransky1809@yandex.ru
ALEXEY VLADIMIROVICH FEDYAKIN
Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor,
Head of the Department of History at the Russian University of Transport (MIIT),
127055, Moscow, Obraztsova Street, 9, Building 9
e-mail: avf2010@yandex.ru
ALEXEY NIKOLAEVICH BAZAEV
Assistant of the Department of History of the Russian University of Transport (MIIT)
127055, Moscow, Obraztsova Street, 9, Building 9
e-mail: alex8azaev@yandex.ru
Abstract. The article is devoted to the meetings of the Board of the People’s Commissariat of Motor Transport of the RSFSR, which were held throughout the entire period of the Great Patriotic War. The authors examine a wide range of issues discussed at the meetings, analyze conflicts between representatives of different structural units, and compare the minutes of the meetings of the Board of the People’s Commissariat of Motor Transport with the orders of the People’s Commissar of Motor Transport of the RSFSR. The article also focuses on the reactions and resolutions of the People’s Commissar, A.N. Kurshev, in response to the discussions that took place at the meetings. At almost all meetings of the Collegium of the People’s Commissariat of Motor Transport of the RSFSR, the issue of the relationship between the work of automobile repair factories and the needs of the Red Army was discussed. The People’s Commissar and his deputies expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of restoring automobile enterprises in the territories liberated from Nazi occupation. There were problems with paperwork, including reporting documents, payrolls, and the classification of repair work. For example, the military representative of one of Moscow’s auto repair factories did not agree with the determination of the scope of repair work. The minutes of meetings of the People’s Commissariat’s Collegium reflect a diverse range of issues that departments, trusts, and factories under the institution were required to address.
Keywords: Collegium, People’s Commissariat of the Automotive Industry, trusts, gas-generating plants, auto parts supplies, Great Patriotic War
Batyaev R.A. (Moscow). Newspapers of Political Parties and Social Movements as a Tool for Shaping Memory Politics in the “Left” Press of the 1990s 34
ROMAN ARKADYEVICH BATYAEV
1st year Postgraduate student
Department of History of Social Movements and Political Parties
Moscow State University
Leninskiye Gory 1, Moscow, Russia, 119234
e-mail: roman@batyaev.ru
Abstract. This article examines the printed press, namely newspapers, which were published by political parties and social movements in the period from 1992 to 1999. The focus of the study is on the use of historical interpretations in the press to explain current events of the present day. In this article, the press is considered as one of the many instruments of the policy of memory, which is a targeted systematic work associated with the formation of certain ideas about the past. Within the framework of this study, work was carried out to analyze historical sources, systematize and categorize the information obtained. The author poses a number of questions that he tries to answer based on the results of the study: which political parties and social movements use historical plots in their own press? Which historical periods, historical figures are more actively used by political parties and social movements in the formation of their own picture of the past? Can we talk about the prevalence of interest in historical topics as an instrument of historical policy among the “left” and “right”, opposition and pro-government political parties and social movements? The research presented in this article focuses on newspapers of parties and social movements on the left flank of the political spectrum.
Keywords: memory politics, historical politics, symbolic politics, newspapers, 1990s
Pavlov P.A. (Moscow). “Eastern Borderlands” in Polish Historiography 45
PAVEL ALEXANDROVICH PAVLOV
Postgraduate student
Lomonosov Moscow State University.
119192, Lomonosov Avenue, 27, Building 4, Moscow, Russian Federation
e-mail: pavlovstarbeevo2000@gmail.com
Abstract. The article examines the historiography of the study of the “Eastern Borderlands” by Polish authors – border territories that entered the orbit of the “Polish world” in the second half of the 16th century after the conclusion of the Union of Lublin with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in 1569. Initially occupying the position of a colonizer, in the course of further history Poland itself found itself colonized during the partitions of 1772, 1773 and 1795. In the 19th century, Polish historical memory secured the right to own the “Eastern Borderlands”, which carry a much wider range of meanings than the literal translation of this term as “eastern borderlands”. The contradictory and tragic experience of the 20th century did not allow for a consensus to be formed on approaches to assessing the history of the Polish “Kresy territories”. The problem of “Kresy” in its historical development was reflected in Polish authors and had a significant impact on the model of modern Polish policy in the East. At present, interest in studying the problems of the “eastern territories” is steadily increasing.
Keywords: Poland, Eastern Borderlands, national policy of the Second Polish Republic, Polish Eastern studies, Prometheism, postcolonial studies
Vorontsov A.A. (Moscow). Restitutor Orientis: Emperor Aurelian’s Campaign against the Palmyrene Empire
ALEXEY ANDREEVICH VORONTSOV
PhD student of the Department of Ancient World History, Faculty of History of M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University.
119991, Russia, Moscow, Lomonosovsky Prospect, 27, bld. 4
e-mail: alexey_vo@inbox.ru
Abstract. This article analyses the eastern campaign of Emperor Aurelian, aimed at the reintegration of the Palmyrene Empire into the Roman state. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to examine the process of Palmyra’s transformation from an autonomous region into a separatist state and to identify the complex set of reasons that compelled Rome to resort to military confrontation. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the titulature of Odaenathus and Zenobia, the evolution of their political agendas, Aurelian’s military strategy, and a critical assessment of the established stereotypes regarding the nature of Aurelian’s actions. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the political and military aspects of the conflict, revealing its economic preconditions, Rome’s strategic objectives, and the tactical methods employed at the battles of Immae and Emesa. Special consideration is given to the motivations of the key figures – Odaenathus, Zenobia, and Aurelian. This article argues that Aurelian’s campaign was not punitive but rather reintegrative in nature, a conclusion supported by source analysis. The author challenges the image of Aurelian as a cruel commander, as portrayed by Flavius Vopiscus, demonstrating instead his pragmatism, strategic flexibility, commitment to minimizing casualties, and his pursuit of legitimacy in the eyes of the Eastern provinces.
Keywords: Roman Empire, Crisis of the Third Century, Palmyrene Empire, Emperor Aurelian, Zenobia, Odaenathus, separatism, Roman army
Saveleva D.I. (St. Petersburg). The Identification and Localization of Toponyms in the Chronicle of John of Nikiu
DARIA IGOREVNA SAVELEVA
Institute of History,
St. Petersburg State University.
199034, St. Petersburg, Universitetskaya nab., 7-9.
Abstract. The following article covers the analysis of toponyms found in the Chronicle of John, the Coptic bishop of the Egyptian city of Nikiu. Composed at the end of the 7th century AD, the Chronicle is a description of a universal history from the creation of the world to the early stages of the Arab conquest of Egypt. Therefore, the text contains a significant number of both Egyptian and “non-Egyptian” toponyms, which enable researchers to trace the geographical and historical realities of the period it covers. The original Greek text, in which the Chronicle was most likely written, underwent two stages of translation and has survived only in the late Ethiopic edition made in 1601. This fact significantly complicates the work with the source: the text itself, along with the toponyms it contains, has been distorted, in some cases beyond possible recognition. This study attempts to systematize both Egyptian and “non-Egyptian” toponyms from the Chronicle of John of Nikiu, and to identify and localize some of them, as well as using through comparative analysis with other sources, such as the “Chronographia” of John Malalas (6th century AD). The results of this research will be subsequently included in an annotated Index of geographical names for the first Russian edition of the translation of the Chronicle of John of Nikiu. This Index will help future researchers navigate the complex material more effective and will also serve as a useful tool for further linguistic, historical, and topographical researches.
Keywords: John of Nikiu, foreign literature in Ethiopic translation, translation into Arabic, early Byzantine historiography, Egyptian toponymy, toponymy of the Roman Empire, early Byzantine toponyms
Elizarov V.P. (St. Petersburg). Elections Before Elections: Electoral Campaigning in Georgian Britain
VITALY P. ELIZAROV
Candidate of Political Sciences, docent of the department of theory and history of state and law, St. Petersburg State University of Economics
191023, St. Petersburg, nab. kanala Griboedova, d. 30-32
e-mail: summo-jure@yandex.ru
Abstract. The electoral history of Great Britain is divided into two clearly defined periods: before and after the electoral reforms of the 19th century. This article attempts to describe and analyze the methods, practices, and rituals of electoral campaigns during the Georgian period of the United Kingdom’s history. The key areas of analysis highlighted are: the period and key locations of election campaign organization; main pre-election events; the audience of these events; communication methods and channels; the voting procedure and the announcement of election results. It is argued that election campaigns during the Georgian period in the United Kingdom exhibited a greater degree of freedom regarding the range of legally permitted practices and methods for conducting electoral activities compared to the subsequent period. Among the methods and practices of conducting an election campaign that are permitted by law and have a long cultural tradition are: organizing “canvassing,” “treating,” electoral balls, processions, and parades. During these events, representatives of the political elite of local communities communicated both with potential voters and residents of the constituency (county or borough). In addition to their agitation and mobilization functions, these practices served as important cultural rituals, acting as mechanisms for maintaining civil order. Although many of the practices and rituals from the Georgian era disappeared from British politics following the 19th-century electoral reforms, the symbolic significance of the Georgian tradition of election campaigns had persisted for decades.
Keywords: History of United Kingdom, electoral history, electoral reforms of XIX century, electoral law, electoral campaign, political history
Blondin V.N. (St. Petersburg). Yemeni historian Yahya ibn al-Husayn (17th century) as a writer
VLADIMIR NIKOLAEVICH BLONDIN
Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Languages and Cultures of the Islamic World, Institute of Oriental Studies, A.I. Herzen Russian State Pedagogical University,
48 Moika River Embankment, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russia,
e-mail: blondin47@mail.ru
Abstract. Using the example of the Yemeni historical chronicle “News of Contemporaries on the History of Yemen” by Yahya ibn al-Husayn (17th century), the article examines the problem of the functioning of Arabic prose literature in the late Medieval period (XVI-XVIII centuries).
Among other prose genres of the late Medieval period, the genre of historical chronicle stands out favorably, which undoubtedly had a fruitful effect during the revival of Arabic fiction (Arabic historical novel, short story, and Arabic drama) in the second half of the 19th century.
A prominent representative of the Yemeni historical school of this period is the comprehensively educated, literarily gifted historian, poet and philosopher Yahya ibn al-Husayn (17th century), who showed an innovative approach to the development of a new historical and literary style, characterized by the absolute predominance of objectified historical narrative and the author‘s own literary creation. He clearly stands out as a bright historical personality and literary talent not only among Yemeni historians and writers of the 17th century, but, perhaps, he has no equal in all late medieval Yemeni literature up to the end of the 19th century.
Keywords: Yemeni Late Medieval chronicle, “News of contemporaries on the history of Yemen”, Yahya ibn al-Husayn as a Yemeni historian and literary talent, historical literature of late Medieval Yemen
Bashkireva N.V. (Voronezh). “By Participating in the Crusade Led by Germany… You are Making Your Contribution to the Elimination of the Bolshevik Threat”: Vichy France in the War Against the USSR
NATALIA VALERIEVNA BASHKIREVA
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor,
Head of the Department of Russian History
Voronezh State Pedagogical University
394043, Russian Federation, Voronezh, ul. Leninа, 86.
e-mail: vspihist@rambler.ru
Abstract. In the initial period of World War II, England and France had every opportunity to provide significant assistance to Poland, which was subjected to aggression by Nazi Germany, but they failed to do so, essentially betraying their ally. They were also superior to the German forces, given the strength of Holland and Belgium, when the Germans launched an offensive in the Low Countries and France in May 1940, but they offered little resistance and were routed. As a result, northern and western France were occupied, and the Vichy regime, led by Marshal Pétain, was established in the south. The foundation of Vichy policy was collaboration with Nazi Germany, which collaborators developed in various spheres—political, economic, and military. French police, along with the German Gestapo, arrested dissidents, the “French militia” persecuted Resistance members, and collaborators assisted the Germans in rounding up Jews and deporting them to death camps. The French economy supported the German armed forces, supplying Germany with combat aircraft, engines, trucks, and other equipment. In foreign policy, Vichy France consistently severed diplomatic relations with Britain, the USSR, and the United States. Trying to navigate between the Nazi bloc and the anti-Hitler coalition, the Pétain government did not declare war on the Soviet Union or its allies, but effectively waged an undeclared war on Hitler’s side, supporting the creation of volunteer military units that fought alongside the Wehrmacht and SS on the Soviet-German front. The Legion of French Volunteers, French SS Assault Brigade, the 33rd SS Grenadier Division “Charlemagne” — all these units and formations fought on the Eastern Front and were all destroyed. Thus, Vichy France, despite its outward neutrality, was in fact an ally of Nazi Germany in its war against the USSR.
Keywords: World War II, France, the Vichy regime, collaborationism, French volunteers in the Wehrmacht and SS
Alaychiyev U.K. (Moscow). The 385th Rifle Division: Formation in Kirghiz SSR and Battles in the Baryatinsky Direction during the Defense of the USSR (1941-1942)
USEN KAMBAROVICH ALAYCHIYEV
Doctoral Candidate, Military Academy of the General Staff
of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation
Candidate of Military Sciences
119571, Moscow, Vernadskogo Ave, 100
e-mail: usenalaichiev@gmail.com
Abstract. Based on an analysis of archival materials, ego-documents and other sources, the chronology of the combat operations of the 385th Rifle Division during the Great Patriotic War has been reconstructed. For the first time, a comprehensive analysis has been given of the formation and combat history of a division in 1941-1942, formed in the Kirghiz SSR, with an emphasis on identifying problems associated with the specifics of its staffing, including the language barrier and insufficient training of personnel. The patterns that led to high losses in the battles for Zaitseva Gora and in the Baryatinsky direction in February 1942 were identified, in particular, the discrepancy between the assigned tasks and the actual capabilities of the division. It was established that combat readiness was affected not only by general factors, but also by the multinational composition of the conscripts, which created a language barrier, which made training and coordination difficult in conditions of intense combat. This study contributes to the study of the influence of national composition and level of training on the combat effectiveness of units formed in Central Asia during the initial period of the war. The strategic significance of the 385th Rifle Division’s actions in containing the enemy in critical areas of the front and in acquiring valuable combat experience, which, despite tactical failures, contributed to the improvement of Soviet military doctrine, is emphasized. It is shown how the division’s combat experience contributed to the revision of military principles and the formation of new combat methods, enshrined in the «Combat Regulations of the Red Army Infantry» of 1942. The study contributes to our understanding of the role of the divisions formed in Central Asia during the initial period of the war, revealing both the heroism and tragedy of their combat path, and serves as a reminder of the self-sacrifice of its fighters.
Keywords: The Great Patriotic War, 385th Rifle Division, formation of divisions, national composition
Vishnyakova I.A. (St. Petersburg). Transformation of Iran-Syria Interaction in the Context of Middle Eastern Political Processes (1946-1979)
IRINA ANDREEVNA VISHNYAKOVA
Assistant at the Department of Theory of Social Development of Asian and African Countries
St. Petersburg State University
7-9 Universitetskaya Embankment, St Petersburg, Russia, 199034
e-mail: iranvishnyakova@gmail.com
Abstract. The article is devoted to a comprehensive examination of the evolution of Iran-Syria relations from 1946 to 1979. Based on the analysis of works by Iranian, Western, and Russian researchers focused on the history of foreign policy processes in the Middle East in the second half of the 20th century, as well as memoirs of Iranian statemen and politicians, the key stages of interaction between the two countries during the period are traced. Factors that shaped the character of bilateral relations within the geopolitical processes occurring in the Middle Eastern region are analyzed. The study demonstrates a transition from acute ideological confrontation between Iran and Syria in the 1950s-1960s to tactical rapprochement in the early 1970s, followed by a phase of cooling relations. Special emphasis is placed on the interaction between Syrian authorities and representatives of the Iranian opposition movement. The scientific novelty of the article lies in its comprehensive approach to studying the dynamics of Iran-Syria relations and identifying factors that contributed to their development after the Islamic Revolution of 1978-1979.
Keywords: Iran, Syria, Iran-Syria relations, Iran-Israel relations, Palestinian resistance, SAVAK, Mossad, Middle East, modern history
Balitsky M.A. (Vladivostok). South Korean Relics Exhibitions at Overseas Museums as an Instrument for National Culture Promotion
MIKHAIL ANDREEVICH BALITSKY
2nd year PhD student, International relations department,
Eastern Institute – School of Regional and International Studies
Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU),
690922, Primorye Territory, Vladivostok, Russky Island, Ajax Bay, 10
email: balitsky.mikhail@yandex.ru
Abstract. The article considers the policy of permanent exhibitions opening in overseas museums carried out by the Korea Foundation as a tool of South Korean culture promotion. The study identifies historical conditions for Korean arts exhibitions creation in overseas museums before the ROK government support policy began. The research establishes the backgrounds of the support policy formation and the chronology of Korean exhibitions opening abroad. The author defines a transition from full budget funding to attraction of domestic and foreign investment for overseas Korean exhibitions opening, relics acquirement and curator positions creation. Measures for overseas exhibitions curators training, academic exchange support, Korean halls opening and reconstruction were defined. The purpose of the study is to determine the specifics of the policy for opening Korean exhibitions in overseas museums and its role in preserving cultural heritage. To achieve the purpose, the following research tasks were solved: to identify the historical conditions for Korean exhibitions opening in overseas museums; to establish the timeline of overseas Korean exhibitions creation; to determine the key changes in governmental support for curators of Korean exhibitions in overseas museums.
Keywords: Korean arts exhibitions, Korea Foundation, culture popularization, overseas museums, cultural heritage, overseas relics inventory, illicit export of cultural heritage
Bakanov D.K. (Moscow). Activities of the Latvian sub-department in the framework of the reorganization of the People’s Commissariat of the RSFSR
DMITRY KONSTANTINOVICH BAKANOV
junior research fellow
Institute of General History of the Russian Academy of Sciences
119334, Moscow, Leninsky Prospekt, 32A.
e-mail: b79190524539@yandex.ru
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1078-9373
ResearcherID: https://www.webofscience.com/wos/author/record/KMX-3490-2024
Abstract. This article is devoted to the activities of the Latvian National Division of the People’s Commissariat for Nationalities in 1920. Based on previously unpublished archival materials, it reconstructs the main activities of this organization that were carried out after the reform of the People’s Commissariats in May 1920, when the Latvian division was reorganized from an independent commission into a subdepartment for Minorities within the RSFSR People’s Commission. Despite this decrease in status, the department continued its work, which started in 1918 under new conditions, with political agitation as its main focus. This was done through organizing rallies and meetings inviting representatives of the diaspora. It is worth noting that these events were organized not only in large cities where there were representative offices of the Latvian subdivision, but also in rural areas where emissaries from this unit of the People’s Commissariat for Nationalities were sent. A significant milestone in the work of the Latvian department will be the signing of the Riga Peace Treaty between the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and the Latvian Republic on August 11, 1920. The refusal of Sovietization by Soviet Russia of Latvia will create a new field of activity for the Latvian division. The main focus of activity at that time was agitation among Latvians living in the territory of Soviet Russia in favor of refusing the option of citizenship of the Republic of Latvia, to which they had the right according to the terms of the Riga Peace Treaty.
Keywords: RSFSR, People’s Commissariat for Nationalities, Latvian sub-department, Pavel Viksne, Jan Mazudre, Republic of Latvia, citizenship option
Fogel A.S., Voronkov S.M. (Samara) Pogosts and the “Rurik Empire” during the period of state formation (9th – early 11th centuries)
ALEXANDER SERGEEVICH FOGEL
Candidate of History, Samara State University of Economics, Department of Philosophy and History, Associate Professor,
141 Sovetskaya Armiya str., Samara, 443090, Russian Federation,
e-mail: alexandr_fogel@inbox.ru
SERGEY MIKHAILOVICH VORONKOV
3rd year postgraduate student, Samara State University of Economics, Department of Philosophy and History, 141 Sovetskaya Armiya str., Samara, 443090, Russian Federation,
e-mail: smvoronkov@bk.ru
Abstract. This article analyzes the pogost system as a specific network of early urban settlements in the territory of Ancient Rus’ in the 9th-11th centuries. The authors examine the conditions and specific features of the formation of the pogost system, primarily associated with long-distance international trade along the river routes and portages of Ancient Rus’—the Baltic-Volga and Baltic-Dnieper and their branches—and the existence of a so-called “prestige” or “elite” economy based on them in the initial period of the Old Russian state, associated with princes and their retinues. The article also examines the urban or non-urban nature of this settlement network. The systems of tribute and duty collection during the formation of the Old Russian state—princely polyudye and pogost—are examined sequentially, concluding that in some regions these systems alternated, while in others they coexisted for a considerable period. The authors analyze in detail the functions of pogosts associated with tribute collection—maintenance of waterway infrastructure, concentration and maintenance of military units, economic, administrative, and judicial functions—with a particular focus on the state-forming role, when the pogost system “gathered” and “cemented” the diverse and multi-tribal “Rurik Empire,” serving as unique “islands” of central grand ducal power in the regions of individual East Slavic and Finno-Ugric tribes. The article analyzes the composition of the population, its primary occupations, and the size of pogosts, using the most well-known archaeological examples. Finally, the authors examine the changes in the political situation in the Old Russian state at the beginning of the 11th century, which directly led to the decline and transformation of the pogost system as a whole.
Keywords: Ancient Rus, Eastern Slavs, trade routes, statehood, retinues, princes, ancient Russian cities, pogosts
Smirnov A.V. (Moscow). The Problem of the “Division” of the Smolensk Region in 1060: A Historiographical Aspect
ALEXANDER V. SMIRNOV
3rd Year PhD Student,
Institute of Russian History, Russian Academy of Sciences
117292, 19 Dmitriya Ulyanova Street, Moscow
е-mail: alexander_plescheev@mail.ru
Abstract. The article provides a comprehensive historiographical analysis of the problem of the “division” of the Smolensk volost in 1060. The main subject of the study is the contradictory chronicle account, which is absent in early chronicles (the Laurentian and Ipatiev chronicles) and is found only in later sources (the Tver Chronicle, the Lvov Chronicle, the Ermolinsk Chronicle, etc.), that after the death of Prince Igor Yaroslavich, the three eldest Yaroslavichs – Izyaslav, Svyatoslav, and Vsevolod – divided Smolensk. The author systematizes and examines in detail a wide range of scientific interpretations of this event that have developed in Russian historiography from the 19th to the 21st centuries. All the points of view are divided into three main groups. The first group of historians (P.V. Golubovsky, D.P. Makovsky, and V.L. Yanin) understood the “division” as a real territorial division of the volost between the brothers. The second group (A.E. Presnyakov, I.Ya. Froyanov, V.A. Kuchkin) saw in it not the division of land, but the distribution of income collected from it. The third group (I.D. Belyaev, P.P. Tolochko) allowed for the complete inclusion of Smolensk in the grand ducal domain of Kiev. In conclusion, the author presents his own hypothesis, according to which the main territory of the Smolensk land came under the direct control of the Prince of Kiev after 1060, and the brothers may have received compensation in the form of adjacent territories or revenues, which could have given rise to the idea of a “division” in the later tradition. The author concludes that the available sources are insufficient and that further research is necessary to understand the status of the Smolensk land and the evolution of princely power in the 11th century.
Keywords: historiography, Smolensk land, Smolensk princely table, Russian princes, Russian chronicles
Voronkov S.M. (Samara) Features of the initial variants of the formation of urban centers and urban networks on the territory of Ancient Rus in the 8th-11th centuries
SERGEY MIKHAILOVICH VORONKOV
3rd year postgraduate student, Samara State University of Economics, Department of Philosophy and History, 141 Sovetskaya Armiya str., Samara, 443090, Russian Federation,
e-mail: smvoronkov@bk.ru
Abstract. This article examines and analyzes the main variants of initial urban development in the territory of the emerging and early Ancient Rus’. The key characteristic of urban development during this period was its isolation from state formation, which gave it its unique character. These initial variants of urban development and “proto-urbanization” are interesting for their complexity. Urban settlements within them were formed either based on tribal processes occurring in East Slavic and Finno-Ugric ethnic groups, in which case we can speak of the construction of hierarchical settlement systems, or were directly linked to the formation and long-term functioning of transcontinental trade routes, in which case an urban network emerged with almost no connection to the rural hinterland and a rather weak settlement hierarchy. Both of these processes inevitably influenced the state formation of the “Rurik Empire,” but for a certain period, these processes proceeded in parallel. The author seeks to reflect the uniqueness of the emerging situation, drawing extensively on specific archaeological research. and theoretical developments, primarily by modern Russian authors. In general, it is possible to speak of tribal towns with their environs and proto-towns as two initial “spontaneous” and “non-state” variants of town formation and “proto-urbanization,” which arose largely independently and were then integrated, voluntarily or forcibly, by the Rurik princes into the Old Russian state and gradually became its integral and most important component. The first attempt at princely integration (“princehood”) was the pogost system, which developed from the mid-10th century. The processes observed and analyzed by the author were quite lengthy, stretching over almost three centuries—from the mid-8th to approximately the early 11th centuries.
Keywords: Ancient Rus’, Eastern Europe, statehood, urban development, proto-urbanization, tribal cities, proto-cities, trade routes, squad, pogosts
Guselnikov S.D. (Nizhny Novgorod), Korotkov V.O. (Moscow). The Formation of Regiments of Soldiers on the Belgorod Line in 1653-1654 as an Aspect of State Development
SERGEI DMITRIEVICH GUSELNIKOV
postgraduate student of Nizhny Novgorod Dobrolyubov State Linguistic University
documentologist at the Department of Modern and Contemporary History, Institute of International Relations and World History, National Research Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod
603000, Nizhny Novgorod, Ulyanova str., 2, c. 14
e-mail: guselnikovsergej54@gmail.com
VASILY OLEGOVICH KOROTKOV
Candidate of Historical Sciences
Independent scientist, Moscow, 101000
e-mail: v_korotkoff1@mail.ru
Abstract. The article is devoted to the processes of formation of four soldier regiments on the Belgorod line in 1653-1654 in the context of preparation for the future Russian-Polish war. The Belgorod regiments were the first of the soldier regiments created during this period, whose service was permanent, which was reflected in the specifics of their formation. The creation of new military units, which were on state support, set new tasks for the government. This included the recruitment of privates, which combined the principle of voluntary recruitment with the traditional involvement of nobles and boyar children in military service. There was also a need to train recruits, which meant that experienced officers and sergeants were required. In addition, the new regiments had to be armed at the treasury expense. Due to all these circumstances, the formation process was promptly controlled and adjusted by the central government. Despite the difficulties that arose, these tasks were resolved quite successfully, and the Belgorod regiments showed themselves worthily in the war with Poland. The example of the studied regiments shows that by the beginning of the Russian-Polish war a system of staffing, training and supplying new military units had been created, which made it possible to create a modern combat-ready army. The article is based on a wide range of archival sources, some of which are being introduced into scientific circulation for the first time.
Keywords: Foreign order regiments; soldiers; Belgorod line; XVII c; military reforms; Russian-Polish war 1654-1667
Zelenyanskaya Yu.V. (St. Petersburg). On the issue of studying the history of Peterhof foundation
YULIA VALENTINOVNA ZELENYANSKAYA
Independent researcher,
195220, St. Petersburg, Grazhdansky Ave., 11
e-mail: zelenyanskayajulia@mail.ru
Abstract: Research of Peterhof historiography reveals presence of different opinions in fundamental matters concerning time of its foundation and appearance of the official toponym. We should say that some established theses in these questions demand review because they based on documents, including plans and plots of the eighteenth century, which were not analysed as sources. In the presented article, this sentence is reviewed on some examples. The main attention is paid to the identification of the territory of Popova manor, that was chosen by Peter the Great for residence construction, and simultaneous with this process formation of the settlement which had its own specifics of administrative and economic development during the reviewed epoch and consequent governments. The fallacy of exclusion Pappingondo (Papinkontu, Babygon) villages from the original boarders of Peterhof domain is marked. The necessity of the further analysis of this question in the context of the history of the region — originally Russian Ygorian lands (Ingria), under Sweden power it was Ingermanlandia (Inkery in Finnish), that were integrated in Russia during the North War 1700–1721, is proved, as well as the importance of full reading and critical analysis of the number of famous sources of that time, that can help the further realization of described tasks.
Keywords: Ingria, Vodskaya pyatina, Popova Mountain, Ingermanlandia, Dudergof churchyard, Pappingondo (Papinkontu), Popova manor, Babey gon (Babygon), Peter the Great, Peterhof, history, source study
Benda V.N., Kozlov N.D. (St. Petersburg). The Corps of Foreign Co-religionists (Greek Gymnasium) under the Artillery and Engineering Gentry Cadet Corps (1775-1796)
VLADIMIR NIKOLAEVICH BENDA
doctor of historical sciences, Associate professor, professor of the department of history, Leningrad state university named after A.S. Pushkin
196605, Saint Petersburg, Pushkin, Peterburgskoe highway, 10
e-mail: bvn.1962@mail.ru
NIKOLAI DMITRIEVICH KOZLOV
doctor of historical sciences, professor, professor of the department of Russian history,
Leningrad state university named after A.S. Pushkin
196605, Saint Petersburg, Pushkin, Peterburgskoe highway, 10
e-mail: koznik49@yandex.ru
Abstract. The purpose of the study is to highlight certain aspects of the activities of the Greek Cadet Corps (the Greek Gymnasium or the Corps of Foreign co–religionists), which began its activities in 1775 in accordance with a draft drawn up by the director of the Artillery and Engineering Gentry Cadet Corps, General M.I. Mordvinov, in accordance with the nominal Decree of Catherine II. As we know, the so-called “Eastern question” had been of interest to the Empress since her accession to the throne. During one of the Russo-Turkish Wars (1768-1774), many Greeks living on the Peloponnese Peninsula took part in the 1770 uprising against the Ottoman Empire, which was being prepared and actively supported by the Russian Empire. Catherine II, whose plans were to restore the Greek state, expressing obvious sympathy for the fate of the Greeks and other Christians under Turkish rule, decided to open an educational institution in St. Petersburg where the children of Russian supporters from among the Greeks and other co-religionists could take a course of study and receive the education necessary for future statesmen. The Greek gymnasium existed for more than 20 years. The authors draw attention to the fact that the Greek Gymnasium, later known as the Corps of Foreign Co-religionists, was a separate military educational institution, but it was in the position of a branch of the Artillery and Engineering noble Cadet Corps and was managed by the corps office. It is concluded that during the existence of the Greek Cadet Corps, about 200 officers were released from it, and many of the students of this corps, after graduation, proved themselves in diplomatic work and as civilian officials. Previously unpublished and poorly studied sources are introduced into scientific circulation.
Keywords: the second half of the XVIII century, Catherine II, M.I. Mordvinov, St. Petersburg, Greek youth, the Corps of foreign co-religionists, students, educational process
Anikin S.A. (Ulyanovsk). Import and forms of sale of goods in Simbirsk province in the middle of the 19th century
SERGEY ALEXANDROVICH ANIKIN
Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Socio-Economic Sciences UIGA,
Candidate of Historical Sciences
Ulyanovsk Institute of Civil Aviation
named after Chief Marshal of Aviation B.P. Bugaev,
432071, Mozhaisky St., 8/8, Ulyanovsk
е-mail: s.a.anikin@bk.ru
Abstract. The article provides a detailed examination of the system of import and forms of sale of goods in the Simbirsk province in the mid-19th century. Fairs and bazaars played an important role in the sale of goods in the province. Fairs and bazaars were also important as a source of income for the budget of the Provincial Government from the collection of shops and booths set up in the territory of the province’s populated areas. Fairs are examined in detail as the main points of import of goods necessary for the region, bazaars as points of delivery and exchange of rural goods and shop trade, the development of which determined the convenience of life and the possibility of constant acquisition of goods necessary for residents. All this expresses the state of local merchant capital, constantly circulating within the province. The article reflects the number and role of fairs and bazaars held in the Simbirsk province, as well as the main points of development of shop trade. Based on the analysis of reports on the movement of trade turnover at fairs and bazaars, the article clearly defines the quantity of goods brought in and sold, the demand for certain goods in different parts of the province, the specifics of pricing policy, as well as the nuances of organizing fair and bazaar trade in various populated areas of the province.
Keywords: traders, fairs, bazaars, shop trading, Simbirsk, Syzran
Luo Xuexin (Changchun, China). “The Old Regime and the Revolution” as a Political Text in Russia (1850s–1860s)
LUO XUEXIN
PhD Candidate in History
Northeast Asian studies college of Jilin University
No. 2699, Qianjin Street, Chaoyang District, Changchun, Jilin Province, China
Postal Code: 130012
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6144-2755
E-mail: luoxuexin739@gmail.com
This article is a phased achievement of the Ministry of Education Planning Fund Project “Research on Russian Conservative Thought and Practice” (19YJA770019).
Abstract: The article examines the reception of Alexis de Tocqueville’s work The Old Regime and the Revolution in Russian intellectual and political life during the 1850s–1860s. The author highlights that the publication of the book coincided with the crisis of Nicholas I’s system after the Crimean War and immediately drew the attention of various ideological groups. The so-called “Tocqueville question” became a starting point for debates on Russia’s developmental path, the balance between centralization and decentralization of power, and the prospects for reform. Slavophiles and Westernizers interpreted Tocqueville’s ideas differently: the former emphasized renewal based on native traditions, while the latter attempted to apply European models to Russia’s political future. Special attention is given to how Tocqueville’s theory of decentralization influenced administrative reform projects under Alexander II. The author concludes that despite the wide resonance, Tocqueville’s ideas did not exert lasting influence on Russian practice, since the autocracy remained the dominant framework of governance. Ultimately, Tocqueville’s work functioned more as a catalyst for intellectual debates and a temporary point of reference than as a direct source of reform, yet its reception sheds light on the particularities of Russian political thought in the mid-19th century.
Keywords: Tocqueville, “The Old Regime and the Revolution”, state, decentralization of power, Reform of 1861
Mankov S.A., Mikhailov V.V. (St. Petersburg). Excesses of Noble-peasant Relations in the St. Petersburg Governorate on the Eve of the Great Reforms: the Example of the Assassination Attempt on the Landowner I.P. Izmailova
SERGEI ALEXANDROVICH MANKOV
Ph.D. in history, honorary member of the Russian Academy of Arts,
Senior researcher of the State Museum «Tsarskoye Selo».
196601, Sadovaya st., 7, Pushkin, Saint Petersburg, Russia
e-mail: mankov21@mail.ru
VADIM VIKTOROVICH MIKHAILOV
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor of the Faculty of History and Social Sciences of the Leningrad State University named after A.S. Pushkin
196605, Petersburg Highway, No. 10, Pushkin, Saint Petersburg, Russia
e-mail: batukom@mail.ru
Abstract. The process of preparing for the emancipation of peasants from serfdom in the Russian Empire lasted for more than half of the XIXth century. The noticeable improvement in the situation of factory, appanage, and state peasants had a much lesser impact on peasants and household servants belonging to private owners. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the worldviews of the nobility and peasantry during this period were changing under the influence of subjective and objective factors, which inevitably affected the established relationships of power and subordination between them. These transformations clearly affected the situation in the St. Petersburg Governorate, where rumors of “imminent freedom,” much anticipated by the peasant population, were constantly reaching the capital. The article, using the example of the assassination attempt on the landowner Irina Petrovna Izmailova, which took place in 1858 on her estate in the Novoladozhsky Uezd of the St. Petersburg Governorate, traces the process of these changes, in which violence was sometimes the most effective measure to draw the attention of the authorities to the landowners’ tyranny.
Keywords: Russia in the XIX century, St. Petersburg Governorate, Novoladozhsky Uezd, nobility, landowners, peasantry, serfdom, violence, inter-class relations
Oskin N.N. (Moscow), Shalamov A.V. (Nizhny Novgorod). Production of Telecommunications Equipment for the Russian Imperial Army on the Eve and During the First World War
NIKOLAI NIKOLAEVICH OSKIN
Senior Researcher, Military Academy of the General Staff
of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation,
Candidate of Technical Sciences, Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, 100, Vernadskogo Street, Moscow, 119571
ANDREY VLADIMIROVICH SHALAMOV
Associate Professor, Department of Internal Affairs Agencies in Special Conditions
Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, Candidate of Political Sciences,
Nizhny Novgorod Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia,
3, Ankudinovskoye Shosse St., Nizhny Novgorod, 603144
Abstract. The article examines the production of military telecommunications equipment in the Russian Empire, the activities of the Russian state and military leadership to establish control over the electrical industry, reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, and technically improve telecommunications equipment. The policy of the government, which allowed to bring the joint-stock companies producing telecommunications equipment out from under the control of German capital, is explored. A comparison is made between the actual need for telecommunications equipment of the Russian Imperial Army and the authorized standards developed before the First World War.
It is suggested that the government of the Russian Empire realistically assessed the situation in the electrical industry and took well-founded measures to develop the production of military telecommunications equipment. It is noted that the creation of joint-stock companies in partnership with foreign companies was the first step in this direction. The fact that these enterprises would carry out “screwdriver assembly” was taken into account by the Russian government. However, this step was dictated by quite pragmatic tasks – the need to obtain technologies, industrial equipment, and train specialists based on foreign companies.
The presented material is supported by a set of statistical data with references to primary sources.
Keywords: joint-stock companies, public administration, spark-gap stations, First World War, radio stations, communication networks, telegraph, telephone, electrical industry, telecommunications
Sergeev M.A. (Elabuga). The General State of the Troops and Administrations of the Kazan Military District Based on the Humblest Reports of the Commander of the District Troops Ivan Aleksandrovich Karass for 1905-1906
MAXIM ANDREEVICH SERGEEV
Postgraduate Student, Department of General and National History
Yelabuga Institute (branch) of the Federal State Autonomous Educational
Institution of Higher Education Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University
423600, Yelabuga, Kazanskaya St., Bldg. 89
e–mail: maxxxx1998@mail.ru
Abstract. This article presents the general state of the troops and administrations of the Kazan Military District for 1905-1906, based on an analysis of the humblest reports of the commander of the district’s troops, General of Infantry Ivan Aleksandrovich Karass, who held this position from December 7, 1904 to September 23, 1907. The impact of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and the revolutionary movements of 1905-1907 on the life of the district is emphasized.
The article’s main argument is that the army, despite profound social and political contradictions, remained a staunch supporter of the autocracy. However, the looming revolutionary crisis and deteriorating conditions of service contributed to increasing internal tension and discontent among servicemen, leading to unrest within individual military units. However, the defection to the revolutionaries occurred slowly and cautiously, reflecting the spontaneity and uncertainty of their own actions.
Data is presented on the composition and deployment of the district’s staff units, as well as on the units called upon to assist in maintaining order during the First Russian Revolution. Indicators concerning mortality and morbidity among the troops, their morale, military education, quartering, service, and occupations are presented. The role of the Kazan Military District in the life of the empire, its composition and purpose are separately emphasized.
Keywords: Most humble report, Kazan Military District, I.A. Karass, war with Japan, mobilization schedule, revolution of 1905-1907
Bondarev S.V. (St. Petersburg). Survival Strategies for a Museum Curator During War Communism
SERGEI VIKTOROVICH BONDAREV
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Postgraduate student, Saint Petersburg Institute of History of Russian Academy of Sciences, 197110, Petrozavodskaya st., 7, Saint-Petersburg
e-mail: bondarev_ml@mail.ru
Abstract. The transformations of the times of war communism radically changed the lives of residents of Petrograd and the surrounding area. The first years after the Bolsheviks came to power were accompanied by rampant banditry, outbreaks of epidemics, and transport collapse throughout the country. But in addition to these hardships, due to the failure of the state food policy in Petrograd, famine set in. With total restrictions on private trade and a lack of food, spontaneous market trade began to flourish in the city. The free market had many sources of goods, from peasant and industrial products to personal items and stolen items. The purpose of the work is to study the survival strategies of museum workers who had access to unaccounted-for artistic and historical values during the years of war communism. The research is based on memoir evidence and the work of T.V. Sapozhnikova. As a result of the work, the peculiarities of the daily life of museum workers in the era of war communism were established. The ways of obtaining funds for the livelihoods of intellectuals in the early years of Soviet power have also been identified. During the economic crisis, the custodians, who had practically no means of livelihood, not only did not sell valuable property in the markets, but also resisted the loss of cultural heritage.
Keywords: market trade, antiques, former royal palaces, palace museum, T.V. Sapozhnikova, war communism, survival strategies
Teterin P.V. (Moscow). V.M. Molotov’s Contribution to the Formation of the Personnel Corps of Soviet Diplomacy, as Exemplified by the Career of A.A. Gromyko
PAVEL VIKTOROVICH TETERIN
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities,
Russia, Moscow, Leningradsky Ave. 49/2, 125167
e-mail: teterinpost@yandex.ru
Abstract. The article is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov’s contribution to the development of the personnel base of Soviet diplomacy in the 1930s and 1950s. The relevance of the research is due to the insufficient study of his personal role in the formation of the professional diplomatic corps and the specific working methods of the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs/Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NKID/MFA) of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during this period. The purpose of the work is to comprehensively study the organizational and personnel aspect of V.M. Molotov’s activities as People’s Commissar and Minister of Foreign Affairs. Based on the analysis of archival materials and memoirs, the article concludes that he played a key role in the large-scale renovation of the diplomatic corps. V.M. Molotov personally supervised the selection, training and career advancement of new personnel, which is clearly illustrated by the example of Andrei Andreevich Gromyko. His unique negotiating style, which synthesized communist ideology and state pragmatism, defined the image and methods of Soviet diplomacy for decades. The structural principles laid down by Molotov and the pool of diplomats he had prepared allowed the next generation, represented by A.A. Gromyko, successfully adapt to the challenges of the Cold War, maintaining the continuity of the foreign policy course, but giving it a new, more flexible and pragmatic style.
Keywords: V.M. Molotov, A.A. Gromyko, Soviet diplomacy, personnel policy, People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs, diplomatic school, foreign policy, Cold War
Gudkov I.A. (Vladivostok). Implementation of the Vladivostok Commercial Port Transfer Project to Nakhodka Bay, 1938-1941
ILYA A. GUDKOV
Cand. Sci. (History), assistant professor of the Department of History and Archeology of the School of Arts and Humanities of the Far Eastern Federal University,
690922, Russian Federation, Vladivostok, Russian Island, Ayax settlement, 10,
e-mail: gudkov.ia96@gmail.com
Abstract. This article, based on archival documents, examines the attempt to implement a large-scale infrastructure project: the relocation of the Vladivostok commercial port to Nakhodka Bay in the late 1930s and early 1940s. The author analyzes the prerequisites for this decision, which were linked to the escalating international tensions in the Far East and the state’s policy of bolstering the region’s defense capabilities. This created a strategic necessity to transform Zolotoy Rog (Golden Horn) Bay into a closed naval base for the Pacific Fleet. The article investigates the progress of the new port’s construction, along with the managerial and economic problems that led to the project’s timeline being disrupted. It is concluded that the project’s failure was caused by a lack of clear coordination between government agencies, a chronic personnel shortage coupled with the low efficiency of forced labor, and an insufficient supply of construction materials and equipment. The outbreak of the Great Patriotic War and the need to concentrate all financial and labor resources on paramount defense tasks made the continuation of large-scale port construction in Nakhodka Bay objectively impossible. Moreover, the growing strategic importance of Vladivostok as a key receiving point for Lend-Lease shipments rendered the idea of its relocation under wartime conditions entirely unfeasible.
Keywords: Far East, maritime transport, commercial port, port facilities, Vladivostok, Nakhodka port
Ulyanova M.A. (Voronezh). Propaganda of the Political Directorate of the Voronezh Front to the Troops of the German 2nd Field Army (November 1942 – February 1943)
MARINA ALEKSEEVNA ULYANOVA
Graduate student of the Department of History of Russia,
Voronezh State Pedagogical University.
394043, Russian Federation, Voronezh, ul. Leninа, 86.
E-mail: vspihist@rambler.ru
Abstract. The article is devoted to the work of military propagandists of the Voronezh Front to disintegrate the enemy troops, in particular, the German 2nd Field Army, which occupied the right-bank part of Voronezh for almost seven months. The specifics of propaganda work are shown both during the period of positional defense and during the offensive operations of the front. In particular, in the first period, visual agitation (posters) and oral propaganda (through megaphones, trench sound installations, etc.) were of great importance, and in the second, printed propaganda (leaflets) prevailed. The main means of distributing leaflets was aviation, but there were also enough ground means, and very original ones at that – ampoule throwers, rifle mortars, kites. During the offensive operations of the front troops – Srednedon, Ostrogozhsk-Rossoshansk, Voronezh-Kastornoye, Kharkov – propaganda against the enemy troops acquired the character of agitation operations – concentrated psychological attacks by all means on specific (usually the weakest in moral and political terms) enemy units and formations. In January – February 1943, the German 2nd Field Army was routed, the remnants of its troops were thrown far to the west. As a result of the Voronezh-Kastornoye and Kharkov offensive operations, the number of prisoners exceeded the number of those killed; psychological warfare specialists of the 7th Department of the Political Directorate of the Voronezh Front played a significant role in this.
Keywords: The Great Patriotic War, 2nd German Field Army, Voronezh Front, Political Directorate, 7th Department, special propaganda
Zdanovich A.A. (Moscow). The Defeat of the “New Generation.” SMERSH Agencies Against the National Labor Union of the New Generation (1943–1945)
ALEXANDER ALEKSANDROVICH ZDANOVICH
Doctor of Historical Sciences,
full member of the Academy of Military Sciences.
195220, St. Petersburg, Grazhdanskiy pr., 11, office 1N, lit. A
e-mail: poltorak2006@yandex.ru
Abstract. The article notes that during the years of Perestroika, historians idealized the image of the White émigrés in their publications: their patriotism was exaggerated, and their hatred of Soviet power was downplayed. Отмечается, что The Federal Security Service recently declassified a body of documents that illuminate the activities of the anti-Soviet organization “National Labor Union of the New Generation” (NLSNG), which operated after the war under the abbreviated name NTS under the supervision of SIS and the CIA. Citing archival documents, the article provides examples of the subversive activities of this organization’s members in the Kharkov and Stalingrad regions during the Great Patriotic War. It also reveals the organization’s activities in Finland, Romania, and Poland, including recruiting Soviet prisoners of war and involving them in terrorist and sabotage activities in occupied Soviet territories. During the war, the “new generation” tried to actively act against the USSR in Odessa, Riga, Vitebsk, Kharkov, Bryansk, Lepel, Vyazma, Mozdok, Rostov, Yeysk, and Yekaterinodar. In 1996, with the consent of Boris Yeltsin, the Russian Ministry of Justice registered the NTS as a socio-political organization. Its members unsuccessfully ran for seats in the State Duma. Intelligence surveillance of this organization ceased only in 1998.
Keywords: Great Patriotic War, National Labor Union of the New Generation, NTS, SMERSH, State Security Committee, Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation
Taltynova E.V. (Voronezh). The 1st Red Banner Army in the Harbin-Jilin Offensive Operation: Defeat of the Kwantung Army and the Victory Parade of September 16, 1945
ELENA VLADIMIROVNA TALTYNOVA
Assistant of the department of History of Russia
Voronezh State Pedagogical University
86 Lenina st., Voronezh 394043, Russia
е-mail: taltynova.e.v@gmail.com
Abstract. This article covers the combat operations of the 1st Red Banner Army (1st Far Eastern Front) during the Harbin-Jilin Offensive Operation in August 1945. Based on archival documents from the Central Archives of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation (TsAMO RF) and the memoirs of the army commander, Colonel General A.P. Beloborodov, this detailed reconstruction of the combat mission to break through the Japanese defenses is presented. The stages of the offensive are examined: crossing the border with strong advance detachments, capturing key points of resistance such as the cities of Muling and Mudanjiang, repelling fierce enemy counterattacks, and subsequently developing the offensive in the direction of Harbin. Particular attention is given to the organization and actions of the mobile detachments of the 1st Red Banner Army, which ensured a high rate of advance and effectively pursued the retreating units of the Kwantung Army. The article also presents the process of disarmament of Japanese units and the participation of units of the 1st Red Banner Army in the historic Victory Parade in Harbin, which took place on September 16, 1945. The article emphasizes the contribution of the 1st Red Banner Army to the success of the entire Manchurian strategic offensive operation, which led to the surrender of Japan and the end of World War II.
Keywords: 1st Red Banner Army, Soviet-Japanese War of 1945, Harbin-Jilin Operation, Kwantung Army, Mudanjiang, Victory Parade in Harbin, A.P. Beloborodov
Kuptsova I.V., Koshkidko V.G., Soloviev K.A. (Moscow). The Celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty in the Symbolic Policy of the Russian State in the Early 20th Century
IRINA VALENTINOVNA KUPTSOVA
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Faculty of Public Administration, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Moscow, Lomonosovsky Prospekt, 27, Building 4
e-mail: Kupcova@spa.msu.ru
VLADIMIR GRIGOREVICH KOSHKIDKO
Doctor of Historical Sciences Professor, Faculty of Public Administration, Lomonosov Moscow State University 119991, Moscow, Lomonosovsky Prospekt, 27, Building 4,
e-mail: Koshkidko@spa.msu.ru
KONSTANTIN ANATOLYEVICH SOLOVIEV
Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor, Faculty of Public Administration, Lomonosov Moscow State University Lomonosov 119991, Moscow, Lomonosovsky Prospect, 27, building 4
e-mail: KSoloviov@spa.msu.ru
Abstract. The instruments of symbolic policy play a key role in the state’s efforts to maintain the legitimacy of both the government as a whole and the specific administrative decisions it makes. One of the most significant acts of symbolic policy in the Russian Empire in the early 20th century was the holding of events dedicated to the 300th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty. This article addresses the following objectives: a) to identify the motives for the selection of symbolic elements in the symbolic policy designated as “the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the Romanov Dynasty”; b) to identify the tools for shaping and maintaining the myth of the 300-year dynasty; c) to outline the main elements of “presenting the myth” through artistic means. To address these objectives, a factual, semantic, and semiotic analysis of available sources was used. The result of the study was the identification of the motives for choosing the dynasty’s 300th anniversary as the focal point of symbolic policy. The main motive behind these efforts was the desire to present the past revolution as a “time of troubles,” the overcoming of which should become a necessary condition for progress in the country’s history, as was the case with the historical “time of troubles” of the 17th century. Another result was the identification of a discrepancy between the goal-setting of symbolic policy during the celebrations and the results achieved, which was largely determined by the use of formalized instruments oriented toward the decorative and representative nature of the celebrations.
Keywords: Russian history, Romanov dynasty, historical memory, historical policy, symbolic policy, 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, Russia in the early 20th century, Nicholas II
Vafin M.O., Zinyatova M.N. (Khabarovsk). «Speculation is Monstrous»: the Concept and Essence of Speculation in its Historical Genesis
MAXIM OLEGOVICH VAFIN
candidate of historical sciences
Associate Professor of the Department of social, humanitarian and
economic disciplines
Far Eastern Home Ministry Law Institute of the Russia
named after I.F. Shilov.
680013, Russian Federation, Khabarovsk, Lermontov st., 5 – 36.
e-mail: vafin_1992@mail.ru
MARINA NIKOLAEVNA ZINYATOVA
candidate of philosophical sciences, associate professor
Professor of the Department of social, humanitarian and
economic disciplines
Far Eastern Home Ministry Law Institute of the Russia
named after I.F. Shilov.
680020, Russian Federation, Khabarovsk, Kazarmenny st., 15.
e-mail: kaf_sgied@mail.ru
Abstract. This article provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the historical essence of the concept of “speculation” from its etymological origins to modern economic and legal interpretations. It has been established that the term dates back to the Proto-Indo-European language, through ancient Greek and Latin it penetrated into European languages, where it originally meant “observation”, and later “speculative reflection”. It is emphasized that in the XVI–XVII centuries, in the context of the formation of capitalist relations in Europe, it acquired economic significance, denoting activities aimed at making a profit due to the difference between purchase and sale prices. In the 19th century, under the influence of European languages and the formation of capitalism in the Russian Empire, the term was fixed in the Russian language and began to be used in an economic context. After the October Revolution of 1917, the term “speculation” acquired a negative connotation and was fixed in Soviet criminal legislation in a different meaning, as a crime. Various law enforcement agencies have been used to combat it at various stages of the country’s development. The authors state that, despite the decriminalization of speculation in the early 1990s and its legalization as an economic category in a market economy, it still retains a negative connotation in the mass consciousness since the Soviet era.
Keywords: speculation, speculator, speculate, etymology, language, semantics, connotation, economics, economic crime, criminalization, decriminalization, criminal law, law enforcement agencies, Europe, Russian Empire, USSR, Russia
Ragimova A.F. (Moscow). Experience of Humanitarian Cooperation between China and Russia in the Field of Education in 2000-2024 222
AFAT FIRUDDINOVNA RFGIMOVA
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor Moscow City Pedagogical University, Russia, Moscow, 129226, 2nd Selskokhozyaistvenny Proyezd, 4, k.1
e-mail: ragimova.afa@mail.ru; ORCID: 0000-0002-3575-0923
Abstract. The article examines various forms of Russian-Chinese humanitarian cooperation in the field of education in 2000-2024. The regulatory and legal framework of this phenomenon is listed, and specific measures are given as an example. Special attention is paid to the institutionalization and activities of the Russian-Chinese Commission for Humanitarian Cooperation, emphasizing its role in organizing student exchanges between Russian and Chinese universities, the study of Russian and Chinese languages, and bilateral scientific cooperation between universities of the Russian Federation and China. One of the key issues addressed in the article is the implementation of the 2006-2007 Cross-Year Education Program between Russia and China. Special attention was given to projects aimed at young people and students. The article also focuses on the implementation of the Russian-Chinese Roadmap for Humanitarian Cooperation until 2030. It analyzes the main forms of humanitarian cooperation between Russia and China in the educational sector from 2000 to 2024 and provides a forecast for their future development. Another topic covered in the article is the opening of Confucius Institutes in Russia since 2007, which are a network of educational institutions whose main mission is to create the necessary conditions for learning Chinese as a foreign language. The article states that the development of interuniversity cooperation is one of the most important areas of interaction between the two countries. Another important area, as mentioned in the article, is the activities of Russian language centers in China and Chinese language centers in Russia.
Keywords: PRC, Russia, Russian-Chinese cooperation, relations, education and science, strategic partnership, development prospects, humanitarian cooperation, student exchanges