Areas of Disturbed Macroregional Identity and Territorial Stability of the Russian Federation

This article considers the territory of the Russian Federation based on analyzing the variability in macroregional identifications of its regions. Four variants of economic zoning of Russia as carried out by the State Planning Committee of the Soviet Union and the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation are analyzed. Territories are identified that in all variants of zoning are referred to the same macroregions and groups of macroregions (combined by basic terms and concepts, such as Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, etc.) and those that are referred in different zonings to different macroregions and their groups. The former and latter territories are defined, respectively, as areas of stable and disturbed macroregional identity. Disturbances of macroregional identity are variative. The concepts of macroregional cores (areas of stable and slightly disturbed macroregional identity) of various levels are introduced. Areas that, in regards to identity, occupy an intermediate or transitional position between the cores are defined as ligament areas. Core areas are regarded as territories of potential isolation, and ligament areas are territories that increase the stability of Russian territory in relation to the risks of disintegration. Three areas of disturbed macroregional identity (ligament areas) are identified, namely, the Black Sea–Caspian, Volga–Ural, and the East. The Black Sea–Caspian area connects the historical and political–economic core with the republics of the North Caucasus and the industrial core of the middle Volga region. The Volga–Ural area connects the most developed territories of the European and Asian parts of the Russian Federation. The East is the European part of the country and Western Siberia along with the Far East. Both European areas of disturbed macroregional identity, when compared with the East, have a higher level of socioeconomic development; a greater demographic weight; are characterized by increased involvement in military–political conflicts in the post-Soviet space; and, accordingly, receive increased attention from the federal authorities. Overcoming the socioeconomic lag experienced by most of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation that make up the East behind the average levels for the country is one of the factors to ensure the country’s territorial stability.