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Concept of WELL-BEING in Veterinary Discourse: A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Professional Oath
This article examines the axiological concept of WELL-BEING as it is manifested in the professional oaths of veterinarians in Russian, English, and French. The study analyzes oaths that are in active use across various countries and serve to codify the ethical and moral imperatives of the veterinary discourse. Employing a cognitive-discursive approach, the authors identify the specific features of the linguistic representation of the concept of WELL-BEING in relation to the three key participants in professional communication: the animal patient, the client, and the veterinarian. The comparative cross-cultural analysis reveals that, while veterinary oaths share a common pragmatic focus on protection and service, axiological emphases in the understanding of well-being vary sig-nificantly depending on the linguistic and cultural tradition. The findings demonstrate that French-language texts foreground the humanistic and hedonistic dimensions of well-being; English-language texts emphasize active social and ethical responsibility; whereas the Russian-language oath highlights service to society and the preservation of traditions. The authors conclude that the specific implementation of the concept of WELL-BEING in veterinary discourse is determined not only by the professional sphere but also by national and cultural value systems. The relevance of this research is driven by the necessity to explore the ethical foundations of professional discourse from a cross-cultural perspective.
Verbal Strategies for Expressing Inferential Evidentiality in Spanish
This paper investigates the evidential potential of verbal constructions with the Spanish verbs amenazar (to threaten), prometer (to promise), parecer (to seem), and resultar (to turn out) within a linguistic system that lacks a grammaticalized category of evidentiality. The study addresses the functional status of these constructions and their position within the system of knowledge source marking in contemporary Spanish. The primary objective is to identify and describe the evidential values of the specified verbal structures, as well as to clarify their role within the indirect evidentiality subsystem of the language. The empirical data for this research are drawn from contemporary Spanish print and electronic media, complemented by evidence from national Spanish language corpora. The methodology employed encompasses functional-semantic and pragmatic analysis, contextual interpretation, and diagnostic testing. The findings demonstrate that the verbal constructions under scrutiny undergo a process of grammaticalization, resulting in the loss of their predicative autonomy and their subsequent functioning as grammaticalized means of propositional modification. It has been established that these constructions predominantly express inferential evidentiality, while exhibiting variation in their degree of subjectivity and their capacity to appeal to an external source of knowledge. The novelty of this research lies in uncovering the functional heterogeneity of these markers within a unified model of indirect evidentiality. Consequently, the study concludes that the analyzed linguistic means constitute an autonomous segment within the evidentiality field of the Spanish language.
Affirmative Particle NO in Modern Russian
This article examines the lexeme-particle NO in its affirmative function. The primary aim is to describe the communicative and pragmatic properties of this particle, thereby establishing its position and role within the system of contemporary Russian literary language. Despite the growing interest in the study of function words, including particles, within Russian linguistics, this particular particle has not been the subject of dedicated research, and its scientific description is presented for the first time. The material for this study has been extracted from various sources, including works of fiction, dialect dictionaries, text corpora, social media, and spoken language. The analysis employs descriptive, quantitative, comparative, and communicative-pragmatic methods. Special attention is given to the socio-areal characteristics of the particle. The findings reveal that, while the particle is predominantly found in Siberian regions, instances of its use are also recorded in central Russia. It is shown that this particle is utilized by both older and younger generations, as well as by residents of both rural and urban areas, indicating its interregional dialectal nature. The author notes that the pronunciation of this particle exhibits features of a nasal vowel [o].
From «Waste» to «Relationships»: Semantic Expansion of Lexemes «токсичный» vs. «toxisch» in Russian and German
This paper examines the concept denoted by the lexemes токсичный in Russian and toxisch in German. The research is based on linguistic corpora, including the Russian National Corpus and the Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache, as well as digital footprint data (search queries, Yandex. Wordstat, Google Trends). The study aims to identify the specifics of the semantic expansion of these units within Russian and German linguocultures, tracing their evolution from the objectification of physicochemical harm to socio-psychological contexts. Key thematic clusters of collocations for each linguoculture are identified, along with the distinctive features of their collocation profiles: in Russian, the profile of токсичный remains largely confined to its original domain — ecology and chemistry (denotative meaning); in German, toxisch is actively employed beyond its initial domain, permeating public discourse (figurative meaning). A general mechanism of expansion is identified as the conceptual metaphor of harmful social influence as a physical poison. It is established that culturally specific vectors of this metaphorical transfer differ: in German, social pragmatics dominates, including criticism of patriarchal structures, discussions of mental health, and the quality of social interactions; in Russian, there is an emerging process of everyday, applied conceptualization of toxicity, primarily within the sphere of personal relationships.
Word of Our Venerable Father Benedict Concerning His Disciple John in Old Believer Manuscripts from Pomorye of 19th–20th Centuries
This article presents a comprehensive textual analysis of the narrative “The Word of Our Venerable Father Benedict Concerning His Disciple John,” as it appears in three Old Believer manuscript collections dating to the 19th and early 20th centuries. These codices are housed within the archives of the Museum Association “Artistic Culture of the Russian North” (Arkhangelsk). The study's primary scientific contribution lies in its introduction of previously unexamined historical-linguistic data derived directly from these handwritten sources. The research aims to elucidate the developmental patterns of Church Slavonic by meticulously examining variant readings across multiple levels, including morphology, lexicography, and lexical choice. To achieve this, the author employs a rigorous methodology combining exhaustive sampling with established linguotextological, comparative, and descriptive analytical techniques. A concise palaeographic description of each manuscript is provided to establish context. Furthermore, the paper identifies the unique generic features and compositional structure inherent to the studied tale. The core of the work consists of a detailed comparative analysis of texts created at different points in time. This comparison reveals specific textual variations that serve as evidence for the influence of the Russian vernacular on Church Slavonic grammar and morphology. The findings also document both unconscious scribal errors and deliberate alterations reflecting the theological stance of the Old Believers. The relevance of this investigation stems from its treatment of manuscript artifacts not merely as objects of historical or ethnographic interest, but primarily as invaluable linguistic resources for tracing language evolution.
Functional Differentiation of Coordinating Devices in Contemporary French: A Methodology for Quantitative Interpretation
This article addresses the issue of functional differentiation among coordinating devices in contemporary French. The study aims to develop a methodology for the quantitative interpretation of the functional potential of conjunctions, grounded in a representative corpus sample from Frantext (2000–present). Based on the established indices of copulativity and connectivity, which objectify the degree of involvement in the grammaticalization process for the 56 units recorded in the corpus, functional profiles for each unit were constructed. The application of cluster analysis, guided by the prototypical “core-periphery” principle, resulted in the identification of four distinct zones: the core, the near-core, the near periphery, and the far periphery. Consequently, this research enriches the classical field model by integrating quantitative methods and corpusbased data. The systemic asymmetry within this segment of the linguistic subsystem is demonstrated, characterized by the dominance of the connective function over the copulative function and the varying syntactic specialization of core and peripheral elements. The author concludes that a unit's frequency rank is not an indicator of its conjunctive potential. In perspective, the proposed methodology is applicable to the description of coordinating devices in other languages, particularly those of the Romance group, to identify general patterns in the functioning of this class of units.
Ecological Discourse as an Umbrella Term
This paper advances the conceptualization of ecological discourse as an umbrella term, serving to integrate a diverse range of research practices concerned with the representation, verbalization, and construction of human-nature relationships. The study's relevance is driven by the imperative to systematize the various interpretations of ecological discourse and its discursive varieties. The methodology encompasses a comprehensive analysis of scientific publications indexed in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI), Scopus, and Web of Science databases for the period 2010–2025, complemented by an empirical analysis of media content (over 1.5 million messages for 2024–2025, sourced via the Medialogia service). The scientific novelty of this work lies in its attempt to elucidate the explanatory potential of interpreting ecological discourse as an umbrella term that unifies various approaches to the study of environmental communication. The primary objective is to conceptually frame “ecological discourse” as an Umbrella Term that integrates a multitude of specialized sub-discourses. It is demonstrated that the status of an umbrella term provides a common framework for interdisciplinary dialogue across ecology, sociology, political science, linguistics, and philosophy. This framework accumulates a variety of sub-discourses, ranging from scientific, legal, and political to media and artistic. Interpreting ecological discourse as an umbrella term allows for overcoming the fragmentation of research and facilitates the identification of inter-discursive interactions within a unified analytical approach.
Destructive Speech Tactics within Framework of Communicative Activity Analysis
This study investigates destructive speech tactics that accompany interpersonal conflict and impede the attainment of communicative goals. The primary objective is to identify and classify communicative tactics that lead to a breakdown in constructive communication. The article refines the concepts of communicative constructiveness and destructiveness, and describes two specific speech tactics within the framework of communicative activity analysis. The empirical data for this research was collected via a remote online survey (March–April 2025) using the “Yandex Forms” platform. The survey instrument consisted of 25 questions featuring stimulus utterances constructed by the author, with a sample size of N=328. The paper provides definitions and develops a typology of tactics, specifically “attack” and “stimulus to action.” Statistical processing and qualitative interpretation of the results demonstrate that direct demands more frequently elicit irritation (38%) and resistance (21.3%); 63% of respondents expressed an unwillingness to comply with such demands, while 19.1% found them unacceptable. Furthermore, the effectiveness of these communicative moves is questioned by 36.4% of participants. Indirect prompts are more often interpreted as context-dependent (31.3%) and unpleasant (70.5%). The findings also include a comparative analysis of I-statements,” which are utilized by 80.5% of respondents, with 45% considering them acceptable. The author concludes that social proximity and status asymmetry exert a decisive influence on the dynamics of communicative interaction.
Patriotic Rhetoric in Chinese- and Russian-Language University News Discourse
This study identifies linguistic and discursive similarities and differences in the patriotic rhetoric of China and Russia by analyzing university news discourse published in Chinese and Russian from 2017 to 2025. It is determined that the instruments of this rhetoric comprise rationally structured arguments with ideological and axiological orientation, as well as emotional appeals achieved through the individualization of experience and its subsequent transference into a collective ‘we’-experience. The findings establish that an informational-institutional framework underpinning rational argumentation dominates both the Russian and Chinese university news discourses; however, its implementation demonstrates a significantly higher density of official clichéd expressions in the Chineselanguage discourse compared to its Russian counterpart. Furthermore, it is shown that the institutional frame, axiology-driven precedent phenomena, personal narratives, and sublime emotional tone collectively construct a rhetorically rich semantic field within the university discourse of both nations. The research concludes that a wide spectrum of linguistic resources is employed to realize patriotic meanings: ranging from official formulaic phrases and frequently reproduced collocations aligned with state documents, to actively evolving patriotic onomastics, emotionally charged metaphors, lingual creatives (linguistic creations), and youth slang.
Linguo-Axiosphere of Russian Society in Feminine and Masculine Sports Chess Discourses (Based on Live Internet Broadcasts)
This study conducts a linguo-axiological analysis of the Russian sports chess discourse from a gender perspective, highlighting its relevance for understanding the linguo-axiosphere of Russian society. The research identifies specific linguistic representations within feminine and masculine sports chess discourses, revealing the content of individual value trajectories that emphasize axiological dominants inherent to each personal linguo-axiosphere. The study constructs both feminine and masculine fragments of the linguo-axiosphere of Russian society, categorizing axiological dominants into three distinct zones: nuclear, near-nuclear, and peripheral. It provides a comprehensive description and explanation of their systemic differences. Findings indicate that the masculine sports chess discourse prioritizes values associated with competition and career success, while the feminine discourse emphasizes self-development and authenticity. The results demonstrate that the structural differences between these identified fragments reflect deeper mechanisms of value organization. Both masculine and feminine sports chess discourses embody different worldviews, each deeply rooted in the institutional and cultural fabric of Russian society.
Politically Correct Euphemisms and Dysphemisms of Racial and Ethnic Themes in German Press
This article is devoted to identifying euphemized and dysphemized vocabulary pertaining to racial and ethnic issues in Germany, as well as conducting a comparative analysis of politically correct glossaries issued by the Alliance 90/The Greens party, the “New German Journalists” union, and guidelines for Berlin police officers. The research corpus consists of 200 articles from German online publications, which yielded 42 euphemistic lexemes and 3 dysphemisms covering the period from 2023 to 2025. The relevance of this study stems from the fact that changes in Germany's ethnic structure are fostering the emergence of new words commonly referred to as ‘politically correct’. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that domestic German studies have yet to provide a linguistic description of politically correct vocabulary or conduct a classification and systematization of racerelated euphemisms and dysphemisms based on the German language material. It has been demonstrated that journalists not only employ politically correct terminology when referring to racial and ethnic groups but also actively expand the synonymic range of these nominations. Furthermore, it has been established that authors construct politically correct euphemistic expressions predominantly through periphrases following specific models. While striving for the sensitive construction of ethnic group identities, journalists meticulously select their linguistic tools; however, this responsible approach is not always accompanied by an update of the authorial lexicon and the inclusion of newer, more acceptable terms.
“Apostle” Project as a Trial: Character of Irina Sushko within System of Personae in V. F. Tendryakov's Novel-Essay “The Assault on Mirages”
This study examines the character of Irina Mikhailovna Sushko as a pivotal semantic dominant essential for decoding the philosophical and aesthetic framework of V. F. Tendryakov's novel-essay “The Assault on Mirages” (1982). The author's final novel remains insufficiently explored in terms of its character system and artistic characterology. The paper analyzes the character's structuring function within the science-fictional experiment conducted by Professor Georgy Grebin, which aims to “excise” Jesus Christ from the historical process. The creative genesis of Irina Sushko's image provides a lens through which to trace how the boundaries of scientific rationalism and its collision with ethical and religious values were conceptualized in late-Soviet literature. It is demonstrated that through Sushko's personality, actions, and internal contradictions, the central problems of the novelessay are revealed, including the relationship between morality and religion, the moral responsibility of the scientist, the identity crisis of the Soviet intellectual during the late socialism era, as well as human experiments with cyber-intelligence. Special attention is paid to the internal dynamics and polyphony of the character under analysis. The novelty of this research lies in identifying motivic (doubling) and intertextual parallels that link the heroine to “eternal” literary images and archetypal figures, such as the "filibusters" from P. D. Kogan's poem-song, the Wandering Jew (Ahasuerus), Mary Magdalene, and the Apostle Thomas the Twin (Didymus).
Image of Chelyabinsk in Contemporary Prose: Authorial Optics of City Depiction
This article examines the representation of Chelyabinsk in contemporary prose. The research is based on the works of D. Bavilsky, M. Boyarkina, and L. Averbakh. The analysis of the material reveals a diverse generic orientation of the texts that construct the city’s image. The primary objective of this study is to identify the authors' distinct optics for depicting the city: the existential and metaphysical perspective (D. Bavilsky), the ironic approach (M. Boyarkina), and the philosophical-nostalgic viewpoint (L. Averbakh). The paper characterizes the generic models that demonstrate various vectors for comprehending the urban image. It highlights the specific features of portraying the city as a peripheral space, whose properties include frontier emptiness and liminality, within the genre experiments of D. Bavilsky, which are connected to the concept of an “infinite text.” The study also explores the mechanisms for constructing a city text in the ironic novella by M. Boyarkina, whose creative manner aligns with the stylistic conventions of “pink noir.” Furthermore, it analyzes the generic model of L. Averbakh's prose, which possesses an intermedial nature and proves to be the most adequate for expressing the image of the city as a symbol of childhood, a home for the soul, and a place of inspiration inextricably linked to music. The authors conclude that the works united by the intention to create an image of Chelyabinsk provide evidence for the existence of a distinct “Chelyabinsk text” as a unique phenomenon with its inherent aesthetic characteristics.
Aesthetics and Ontology of Landscape in “Priutino Cycle” Poems by N. I. Gnedich
Drawing on the elegies “Autumn” and “Priutino,” as well as the elegiac epistles to I. A. Krylovov composed during Gnedich's residence at the Priutino estate, this study examines the distinctive aesthetics and ontology of landscape within the poet's artistic world. The analysis also incorporates his early works, including “Obshchezhitie” (The Common Life), “Milton, Lamenting His Blindness,” and “The Transience of Youth.” The paper considers Gnedich's pivotal role in the formation of the Russian elegiac school and reconstructs a spatial model of the universe in which the visible and the invisible are inextricably linked. A particular focus is placed on the symbolic richness of the forest image. The study demonstrates that Gnedich's nature poetry is directly connected to the beauty of the cosmos and represents an attempt to comprehend the mysteries of nature through aesthetic perception. It is argued that beneath the initial aestheticization of landscape lies a profound philosophical depth; these pictorial representations serve as a catalyst for meditations on nature's cyclical patterns, its meteorological manifestations, specific loci, and the poet's own emotional impulses. By synthesizing these elements, Gnedich reveals a state of the soul, thereby intensifying the confessional dimension of the elegy. The paper proves that Gnedich's definitive contribution to Russian elegy was his assertion of the forest's curative and restorative properties for the human soul. An analysis of the landscape's semantic content shows that for Gnedich, the forest landscape became paramount, establishing itself in his lyrics as a space of transfigured reality that visibly embodies the unity of the earthly and the celestial.
“She Was a Notorious”: Literary-Critical Reception of Aphra Behn in Russia, 1860s–1910s
This article examines the critical reception of the English writer Aphra Behn within the Russian literary criticism and scholarship of the second half of the nineteenth and the early twentieth centuries. The study analyzes references to and assessments of Behn’s literary legacy found in a range of sources, including general literary histories, academic textbooks, dictionaries, and reference works. The primary materials under scrutiny include the publications of H. G. G. Hettner (1863), V. R. Zotov (1882), A. A. Chebyshev (1897) etc., as well as the articles of M. K. Tsebrikova (1871) etc. The findings demonstrate that the appraisal of Behn’s oeuvre in Russia during this period was largely derivative of Western European sources and was predominantly focused on specific aspects of her work. These include the perceived frivolity and “immorality” of many of her compositions; the anti-slavery message of her seminal work, the novel Oroonoko; her perception as a forerunner of Sentimentalism and a precursor to Rousseau’s idealization of the “noble savage”; and her contribution to the formation of women's literature, documentary prose, and the novel as a distinct literary form. A significant portion of the article is dedicated to a detailed analysis of M. K. Tsebrikova’s survey “English Women Novelists.” The content of this review provides compelling evidence that the critic was familiar either with the original English text of Oroonoko or its French translation. Furthermore, the article observes that Thomas Southerne’s tragedy Oroonoko, which is traditionally considered to be based on Behn’s earlier novel, is frequently mentioned in Russian sources from this period without any attribution to the English author.
Narrative Strategies and Structure of Narration in V. F. Odoyevsky’s “Mysterious” Tales
This article undertakes a comprehensive analysis of narrative strategies and the distinctive features of narration within V. F. Odoyevsky's corpus of “mysterious” tales. It is acknowledged that these works have been subject to diverse interpretations; however, scholarly attention has traditionally gravitated towards their ideological dimensions, often at the expense of a rigorous examination of their formal construction and narrative organization. The author posits that an adequate understanding of Odoyevsky's fiction necessitates a meticulous consideration of its underlying narrative architecture. The paper concretely demonstrates the fundamental importance of this structural framework for textual interpretation. As case studies, the analysis draws upon the tales “The Dryad”, “The Salamander”, “The Cosmorama”, “The Apparition”, and “The Peasant Girl from Orlach”. Central to the discussion are the specific techniques employed by the author, including the introduction of figurative narrators, the creation of communicative events, and the effect of “dual authorship.” Furthermore, the study examines Odoyevsky's sophisticated methods of reader engagement through provocation and ludic devices such as irony, mystification, and the deliberate collision of disparate points of view. It is argued that Odoyevsky endeavors to grant a “voice” to characters representing various worldviews, thereby depicting events through both mystical and rational (“prudent”) perspectives. In doing so, he arguably anticipates the polyphonic principles later developed by F. M. Dostoevsky. Simultaneously, a close reading of the narrators' personas and behavioral patterns allows for the identification of the author's implicit stance toward the recounted events, which remains embedded within the text's fabric.
This study examines Elias Canetti’s (1905–1994) novel Auto-da-Fé as a chronicle of one man’s library and the tragedy of its owner, who ultimately loses his connection to reality. The analysis reveals that the authorial triad— «the head without a world», «the headless world», and «the world within the head»— serves as a metaphor for a world «in a state of disintegration» (Canetti). The relevance of this inquiry stems from two primary imperatives: first, the necessity to comprehend the role of the library as a vehicle of cultural transfer; second, the significance of the «library» motif within literary fiction. By invoking Jorge Luis Borges's metaphor of the «Library of Babel», the concept of the «library» is interpreted as both a social and spiritual institution. It unites texts of world literature into a continuous whole — a seamless entity symbolizing humanity's accumulated knowledge, which is preserved and transmitted across generations. Particular attention is devoted to the idiosyncratic narrative organization of the novel. This paper argues that provocation, parody, and paradox — as facets of the overarching narrative strategy — intensify the author’s intentionality. These elements reflect the writer’s credo by highlighting the interplay between the rational and irrational, the constructive and the destructive. It is noted that Canetti succeeds in eliciting a genuine spectrum of emotions from the reader, ranging from astonishment and outrage to an acceptance of multiple interpretations instigated by both the implied author and the narrator. The novelty of this research lies in its chosen perspective, analyzing the work through the lens of narratology.
Integration of Kabarda District into Judicial System of Russian Empire (1858—1870)
This article examines the specific features of the integration of the Kabarda District into the judicial system of the Russian Empire during the period from 1858 to 1870, with a particular focus on the activities of the district people's courts and local courts. The research is grounded in a thorough analysis of normative legal documents, including the “Regulations on the Terek Region” (1862) and the “Temporary Rules for Judicial Institutions in the Terek Region” (1863), as well as administrative records such as directives and reports from officials in the region's administrative and judicial structures. The study also utilizes quantitative data from court case records. The article addresses the establishment of judicial institutions in the Kabarda District amidst the transition to military-national governance at the turn of the 1850s and 1860s. It delineates the position of the Kabarda District People's Court within the judicial hierarchy, its composition, and the dynamics of its operations. Furthermore, it highlights certain distinctive aspects of the activities of local courts in the mid-1860s. The findings suggest that, despite some localized peculiarities in their operations, the people's and local courts of the Kabarda District were effectively integrated into the imperial judicial system. This integration was manifested through their subordination to regional administrative authorities, partial funding from state resources, and ongoing oversight by higher authorities.
Influence of Russian Social Democratic Labor Party and Bund on Formation of Armenian Social Democratic Labor Organization
This article examines two interrelated questions concerning the genesis of the Armenian Social Democratic Labor Organization (ASDRO), one of the Social Democratic parties active in the Caucasus at the turn of the twentieth century. The study critically engages with the prevailing narratives within Soviet historiography, which posited that the ASDRO was an artificially implanted entity in the Caucasus, orchestrated by the Jewish Bund, and that the Russian Social Democratic Labor Party (RSDLP) or its individual members had no involvement in its establishment. Drawing upon a wide array of primary and secondary sources, this research demonstrates that the formation of the ASDRO was, in fact, a product of objective socio-political processes. It is shown that the organizational perspectives of the future leaders of the ASDRO were significantly shaped by Austrian Social Democrats and evolved in parallel with, yet independently from, the ideological framework of the Jewish Bund. Initially, these future leaders even entertained ambitions of creating a pan-Armenian, global Social Democratic party. Crucially, this study proves that the resolutions of the Second Congress of the RSDLP, coupled with the Baku Committee’s unconditional adoption of the party’s program and especially its charter, exerted a decisive influence. This led a faction of ASDRO founders to secede from the Baku Committee of the RSDLP to establish their own distinct political organization.
Socio-Economic Development of Tobolsk District, 1936–1940
This study examines the historical experience of socio-economic development in the Tobolsk District of Omsk Oblast during the critical period of 1936–1940. For the first time, the research introduces into scholarly circulation materials from the regional periodical “Tobolskaya Pravda”, archival documents from local repositories, and collections held by the Tyumen Museum and Educational Association. The analysis pays particular attention to the natural-geographic, social, and economic conditions of the Siberian territories and their impact on the development of key sectors within the district during this period, including agriculture, industry, finance, trade, culture, and everyday life. The findings demonstrate the predominance of the agrarian sector in the district’s economy, while also highlighting the vast potential of its land, water, energy, and biological resources at the inception of their active utilization. The study reports that the district witnessed growth in the forestry, fishing, shipbuilding, construction, food processing, and cooperative industries. Furthermore, it is emphasized that funding and expenditure for the socio-cultural and domestic needs of the population were steadily increasing. The data indicate a significant growth in the number of specialists and institutions in education and medicine, as well as an expansion in the trade of consumer goods and freight transportation. The evidence presented demonstrates that the positive dynamics of productive forces in the Tobolsk District facilitated a rapid restructuring of civilian life and industrial activity for a wartime footing, enabling a comprehensive contribution to the front.
Garrisons of Ostrogs of Upper Ob and Forts of Upper Irtysh in First Half of 18th Century: A Comparative Analysis of Strength
This article examines the strength of garrisons stationed at the ostrogs (fortified settlements) of the Upper Ob and the forts of the Upper Irtysh during the first half of the 18th century, contextualized within the processes of territorial expansion and the establishment of a security system in southern West Siberia. The relevance of this research is underscored by the fact that, while the historiography has addressed the significance of these fortifications in the colonization of the West Siberian frontier and their engineering aspects, the issue of the quantitative composition of garrisons has remained largely overlooked. The primary sources for this study consist of previously unutilized materials from the Russian State Archive of Ancient Acts and the Russian State Military-Historical Archive. The author concludes that the dynamics of troop strength in these fortifications exhibited a wave-like pattern, characterized by two pronounced yet poorly comparable peaks. The first peak was short-lived, occurring during the construction phase and the initial years of operation, while the second peak manifested in the late 1730s to mid-1740s, driven by heightened militarypolitical tensions in southern West Siberia alongside significant regional administrative restructuring.
Production of Computing Technology in USSR: Outcomes of Implementation of Council of Ministers' Decree of December 30, 1967
This article explores the implementation of decisions made by central party-state authorities at the turn of the 1960s and 1970s regarding a shift in policy towards the development and production of computing technology in the USSR. The research is grounded in materials from central state archives, including previously classified documents from the fund of the Central Committee apparatus of the Russian State Archive of Contemporary History, which are being introduced into scientific discourse for the first time. The study presents results from a comparative analysis of production volume data reported by various agencies, along with conclusions drawn by compilers regarding the reasons for unmet targets. It emphasizes that the primary factor leading to the issuance of the Council of Ministers' Decree of December 30, 1967, was the progressive lagging behind of the USSR compared to capitalist countries in this field, despite existing achievements. It has been established that serious deviations from planned indicators were recorded from the very beginning of the decree's implementation. Key factors contributing to these setbacks included a sharp reduction in funding due to shifts in socio-economic policy priorities, miscalculations in planning, a shortage of specialists, challenges related to software provision, insufficient coordination in joint efforts with socialist countries on the Unified System of Computers project, and an underestimation of the active initiatives undertaken by Western firms.
Material and Living Conditions of Adolescents in Soviet Labor Reserve System during Siege of Leningrad (1941–1944)
This article investigates the material and living conditions of students enrolled in trade schools, railway schools, and factory-apprenticeship schools within the besieged city of Leningrad. The primary objective of this study is to reconstruct the quotidian experience of adolescents integrated into the labor reserve system under the extreme duress of a prolonged military blockade. The methodological framework is grounded in a comprehensive approach that synthesizes the methods of social history and microhistorical analysis. The research draws upon previously unpublished archival materials, which are introduced into the scholarly discourse for the first time. The study examines the demographic size of the adolescent workforce, the degree of compliance with existing labor legislation, and the physical state of both industrial facilities and residential accommodations. Furthermore, it scrutinizes the mechanisms of food supply and distribution. The findings demonstrate that the utilization of child labor was a systemic and integral component of the city's survival strategy. It is shown that legislative norms were systematically violated on a regular basis. The analysis reveals that behind official accusations of truancy often lay severe life circumstances and the adolescents' own survivalist strategies aimed at securing their livelihood. The research establishes that measures to ameliorate living conditions were largely contingent upon local enterprise-level initiatives rather than centralized directives. The authors conclude that, in an environment of total scarcity, adolescents within the labor reserve system constituted the most vulnerable segment of the urban population. Their fate was determined not so much by state decrees as by the actions and decisions of local administrators on the ground.
Economic Activities of Voronezh Province's Handicraft Cooperatives, 1924–1928
This article examines the distinctive features of the economic structure of handicraft cooperatives in an agrarian region. The research is based on documents from regional archives, as well as published administrative materials, periodicals, and reference data. The study addresses the periodization of the development of handicraft cooperation during the New Economic Policy (NEP) years. The author concludes that by 1923, a crisis had emerged within the cooperative movement, characterized by the proliferation of pseudo-cooperative organizations and the inability of local authorities to effectively regulate this sector of the economy. It is demonstrated that the increase in the number of handicraft cooperatives starting in 1924 was directly linked to successful state policies aimed at stimulating their growth. This policy was driven both by economic necessity—specifically, the need to mitigate the adverse effects of the significant crop failures of 1924 — and by ideological commitments to implement Lenin's cooperative plan. The author argues that the failure of the existing provincial mixed union to adequately represent the interests of the rapidly growing number of handicraft cooperatives led to the establishment of a specialized union in 1927. Furthermore, it is shown that this new association faced substantial challenges related to raw material supply, marketing, and financing in its initial stages, which negatively impacted the pace of cooperative construction.
Armenian Periodicals of Caucasus on Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878 and Emergence of Armenian Question
This study examines the Armenian periodical press of the Caucasus in the late 19th century, focusing on newspaper publications regarding the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. The sources for this research are derived from articles published in Armenian newspapers that reported on the military actions during the war. The paper raises the argument that previous Russo-Turkish conflicts did not hold the same significance in resolving the Eastern Question. It emphasizes that the Armenian press meticulously covered the course of military operations and the victories of Russian forces on both the Balkan and Caucasian fronts, advocating unconditionally for Russia's triumph, which they associated with the hopes for the liberation of Western Armenians from Ottoman rule. The findings illustrate that the Treaty of San Stefano presented opportunities for improving the conditions of Western Armenians. It is established that, following the war, the Armenian question emerged for the first time in European diplomacy. The conclusion drawn is that Russia's victory in the war did not facilitate a resolution to this question. The paper demonstrates that the great powers at the Berlin Conference, while discussing the Armenian question, were primarily motivated by their own political interests. Consequently, it is noted that the Armenian question did not receive a satisfactory resolution and remained a significant issue on the agenda of European diplomacy.
Private Entrepreneurship in Soviet Handicraft Cooperatives in Second Half of 1940s
This study investigates the interactions between cooperative enterprises and individuals engaged in prohibited private entrepreneurial activities during the years 1947 to 1950. It presents the perspectives of leading domestic and international researchers on the subject. The research utilizes a variety of sources, including published and archival documents, memoirs, and press materials. A comprehensive review of post-war government decrees is conducted, highlighting the expansion of monetary motivations and autonomous decision-making within the cooperative sector. The analysis focuses on the problematic situation that developed within the handicraft system of the Chelyabinsk region. It is argued that the acute crisis of livelihood, characteristic of a militarized Soviet society, compelled economic agents involved in meeting the everyday needs of the population to experiment with illegal business practices. An interpretative model for these practices is proposed. The study also illustrates the response of state control bodies to the proliferation of shadow operations conducted under the guise of cooperatives. The conclusion drawn is that the application of criminal and repressive measures was driven by a prioritization of ideology over pragmatic considerations, which hindered the effective use of cooperative enterprises to achieve a sustainable equilibrium in the consumer market.
Elections to Rural Soviets of Kuban-Black Sea Region, 1920–1923: Practice of Electoral Campaigns
This article examines the elections to the rural Soviets of the Kuban-Black Sea Region during the period of 1920–1923, a time when the Bolsheviks’ political and economic activities combined the methods of War Communism and the New Economic Policy. The study investigates the impact of the estate-based characteristics of the population and traditional forms of local self-government on the electoral outcomes in the rural Soviets of Kuban. The research is grounded in archival materials from the funds of the Krasnodar Krai. The authors argue that the transition to new forms of local self-government — namely, the Soviets — unfolded amidst a pronounced confrontation between the rural population and the Bolshevik authorities. The analysis demonstrates that in the early 1920s, as the Soviets were increasingly “Bolshevized,” the conflict between the Russian Communist Party (Bolsheviks) and the rural populace intensified. This was due to Bolshevik deputies and local party activists intervening more aggressively in various spheres of peasant and Cossack economic life. The authors conclude that for the Bolsheviks, the Soviets functioned as an apparatus through which the ruling party implemented its initiatives. The study reveals that this period was characterized by an intensive process of statebuilding and the consolidation of Soviets into a unified network. It is established that a new form of “popular parliamentarism” was implemented within the Soviets, which subsequently transformed into a system of representation for the party-bureaucratic nomenklatura. The authors contend that the electoral legislation was inherently discriminatory, and that by exploiting specific features of electoral law, the Bolsheviks sought to systematically exclude their political opponents from power.