History and Modern Perspectives

The article contains the research of main trends in formation of economic policy in Russia, which began to develop already in the second half of the XIX century and has been finally established at the edge of the centuries. This process has been long and controversial. In general, this policy has been initiated and partially formalized by the ministers of finance: M.Kh. Reitern, N.Kh. Bunge and I.A. Vyshnegradskiy and has been presented in its final version during the period of S.Y. Vitte (1892–1903) and, in general, continued during the period of V.N. Kokovrsov (1904–1914) being the ministers. This policy has been marked in history as “Vitte’s Program”, which, in general, reflected real needs of the country’s economic modernization and stimulated its development, mostly in the industrial sphere and transport. The weak chain in Vitte’s policy remained agriculture. Although realization of Stolypin’s agricultural reform (1906–1912) contributed to its partial intensification, it has not been possible to finally intensify the agricultural sector and after V.N. Kokovtsov’s resignation at the end of 1913, the government’s economic policy was heavily criticized by the State Duma and especially — by the activists of the trade and industrial sector, which contributed to the weakening of the political authority of the monarchy in bourgeoisie circles.

Maintaining the interaction of troops was an important part of the offensive operation of the summer campaign of 1916. Understanding the basic issues of the order, sequence, and content of the leadership of interaction during the operations of the armies of the Southwestern Front in the summer of 1916 will allow you to have knowledge on the use of various techniques and methods of its maintenance in subsequent operations in modern conditions. The study reveals the sequence and content of the work of the field directorates of the front, army headquarters and field directorates of the corps that make up its composition to guide the interaction of troops during the offensive operation of May–August 1916. Based on the reviewed historical and analytical documents, the structure of the leadership of the interaction of troops of the Southwestern Front with the beginning of the offensive operation is revealed. The essence of the leadership is formulated, as well as some problems of achieving the stability of interaction during the offensive operation of the summer campaign of 1916. Conclusions are drawn about the methods of maintaining the interaction of troops and the sequence of achieving stable interaction during the breakthrough of heavily fortified enemy positions, the development of offensive and advance in depth.

The article examines the history and characteristics of interregional economic cooperation between the Ural region (using the example of the Sverdlovsk region) and the Byelorussian SSR in the 1970s and 1980s. Within the framework of the concept of a unified national economic complex of the USSR, the authors analyze the role of leading industrial enterprises in the Urals in the processes of industrialization and modernization of the Belarusian economy. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the Ural Turbomotor Plant as a key supplier of power equipment and diesel engines for the Belarusian Automobile Plant. The range of supplies is described in detail: heating and gas turbines, which ensured the development of the energy system of the Byelorussian SSR; products of the pipe industry and electrical equipment of the Uralelectrotyazhmash plant for the petrochemical cluster of the republic (in particular, the Polotsk Chemical Combine). It touches upon issues of cooperation in the field of agricultural machinery and the production of special equipment based on Belarusian tractor chassis. The article is based on archival materials that have not previously been used in scientific research. Using the example of an analysis of party and state documents and production results, it demonstrates the effectiveness of planned activities that contributed to the technological development of the regions and the solution of all-Union tasks. The conclusions of the article testify to the overall effectiveness of economic cooperation between the union republics and prove that without such cooperation, the construction of a modern economy in the national republics would have been impossible.

This article examines the mechanisms of the centralized resource distribution system in the USSR during the post-war reconstruction period (1945–1954) using the Belarusian office of the All-Union Association "SOYUZPROMMETIZSNAB"/ "GLAVMETALLOSNAB" as an example. The source material is unique, little-studied archival materials from the National Archives of the Republic of Belarus, revealing the activities of an organization commonly known as one of the "Motherland's storehouses." The study, for the first time, accurately localized and described the activities of the structure responsible for distributing strategic materials — metal and metal products — for the reconstruction of the BSSR. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of the complex logistics chain: 20 enterprises in the Ural region (including the Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk, and Zlatoust plants) were identified as key suppliers of raw materials to Minsk and Gomel. The data obtained provide a detailed understanding of state resource management practices, the constant oversight regime (a series of continuous inspections) and attempts to overcome management chaos through regular party meetings and production meetings. The article was supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation.

This article analyzes coverage of the 1925 German student trial in the central and local press of the USSR. The study focuses on publications in Pravda, Izvestia, and several local periodicals. The style and tone of the newspaper coverage of the event are highlighted. It is noted that discrepancies in the presentation of certain details and facts may have occurred between publications. The author emphasizes that the Soviet press closely followed the trial throughout the period under review. This is particularly evident when examining publications from June and July 1925. Newspapers described the defendants' interrogations in detail, noting their connections to the fascist organization «Consul,» which was implicated in terrorist attacks against prominent figures in Weimar Germany. The reader was led to believe that this trial was intended to draw the attention of the Soviet public to the dangers of the spread of the fascist threat. Based on the results of this examination, the author concludes that central and local daily newspapers actively participated in fostering a negative perception among Soviet citizens regarding the policies of the bourgeois parties and the ruling structures of the Weimar Republic. A variety of methods, both verbal and visual, were used to achieve this goal. The close ties between right-wing conservative terrorist organizations and the ruling circles of the Weimar Republic were emphasized in every possible way.

The study of parliamentary oversight mechanisms for the application of emergency legislation during crises retains high scientific and practical significance. The experience of the United Kingdom during the First World War, associated with the implementation of the Defence of the Realm Act (DORA) of 1914, serves as a classic case for analyzing the balance between state security and civil liberties, as well as for examining the role of the legislative branch as a key institution of checks and balances under conditions of delegating broad powers to the government. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive analysis of the role of the UK Parliament in shaping, limiting, and overseeing the application of emergency powers granted to the executive branch by the Defence of the Realm Act of 1914. The work aims to identify specific parliamentary procedures and discursive practices through which legislators exercised oversight of the government's activities, which sought to expand restrictive measures under conditions of total war.

The aim of this article is to comprehensively analyze the diplomatic initiatives of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators, focusing on the coordination mechanisms among its members and identifying the institutional causes hindering an effective resolution of the Palestinian Israeli conflict. Theoretical Significance. This paper systematizes and critically evaluates the diplomatic initiatives of the Quartet as a unique multilateral mediation format. The study identifies institutional limitations arising from diverging foreign policy interests among its members and clarifies the role of international organizations in a fragmented global diplomatic landscape. Practical Significance. The results can be used to develop new mediation models in peace processes. An analysis of the Quartet's institutional impasse is useful for expert groups rethinking the format and for formulating recommendations for strengthening engagement with regional actors, including the Arab Quartet. Methodology. The methodological framework relies on an interdisciplinary approach combining international relations theory, conflict studies, and institutional analysis. An analysis of academic publications exploring the Quartet's diplomatic initiatives and the reasons for its institutional impasse, as well as a comparative analysis of the parties' positions, is used. Conclusions. The Quartet's diplomatic initiatives are limited by internal contradictions and a lack of mechanisms for influence. A relaunch is possible through expanded cooperation with the Arab Quartet and the involvement of new actors. Given the transforming diplomatic landscape, a reconsideration of the format's functions and goals is necessary, as is political will and alignment among participants.

The article examines the modern scientific school of historical urbanism that has developed in Irkutsk. There are several directions in historiography: the administrative function of cities, socio-economic development, primarily trade, urban self-government, and socio-political life. The main publications in this area are noted, including the collective monograph «Irkutsk in the panorama of centuries», the three-volume works of L.M. Dameshek «Favorites», a series of collections of articles «Cities of Siberia of the XVIII — early XX centuries», monographs by V.P. Shakherov. Although Irkutsk itself occupies a central position in the urban studies of Irkutsk historians, various aspects of the history of other cities in Eastern Siberia and, in general, the urbanization processes in this region are considered.

The article is devoted to the study of the industrial heritage of the Optical and Mechanical industry and the State Optical Institute during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. This context reveals new visions of the historical process. The industrial legacy of individual industry institutions is a relevant research topic. Using the example of the activities of the State Optical Institute (GOI), we will try to analyze the options for adapting scientific theories to solve specific problems of the optical and mechanical industry (OMP) during the war years and optical and mechanical devices created at that time. Conclusions. The system of scientific and industrial relations created at that time made it possible to provide the Soviet army with modern optical devices and laid the foundation for post-war development.

The article examines the key challenges of accessing Russia's historical and cultural heritage through the lens of digitizing archival documents. The author points to a systemic crisis caused by the low level of digitization (5–6%) alongside a concurrent increase in the volume of incoming paper documents. The archaic paradigm of document management, which focuses on physical media, is criticized for leading to "pseudo-digitization" — the creation of scanned images without machine-readable text, thereby blocking intellectual access to the information. As a solution, a paradigm shift from "original-as-medium" to "information-as-data" is proposed. Three main vectors of development are outlined: technological: Implementation of OCR/HTR, semantic technologies (Linked Open Data), and electronic document management systems to enable full-text search and analysis; Infrastructural: Creation of unified state cloud platforms (e.g., TsKhED) for centralized and secure storage; Legal: Overcoming legal uncertainty, developing regulations for processing personal data, and creating strategies for the long-term preservation of digital formats. The conclusion is that without consolidating these directions into a unified system of regulatory and methodological support, investments in digitization will be ineffective. The ultimate goal is the transformation of archives from repositories into services, ensuring democratized access to historical and cultural heritage and fostering critical historical consciousness.

The article presents a scientific biography of the prominent Soviet and Russian medievalist historian, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor Vsevolod Lvovich Kerov (1925–2010). Based on ego-documents (diary entries, memoirs), archival materials, and an analysis of scientific activities, the life and professional path of the scholar are reconstructed. Particular attention is paid to the formation of the historian's personality in the pre-war years, his participation in the Great Patriotic War within the OSNAZ radio intelligence units, and his studies at the History Faculty of Moscow State University under the mentorship of Academician S.D. Skazkin. The role of V.L. Kerov in the establishment of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia (PFUR), the development of unique courses for foreign students, and the advancement of African studies is covered in detail. The scholar's contribution to the study of popular heretical movements in medieval Europe and the colonial history of Madagascar is analyzed. The article demonstrates the inseparable link between the scholar's biography and the key events of the 20th century.