This article explores the development and functioning of customs mechanisms within the framework of economic integration on the post-Soviet space, with a particular focus on the institutional evolution from the early 1990s to the present day. The study begins with an analysis of the disintegration of the unified Soviet economic system and the subsequent formation of independent national customs services. It then traces the initial coordination efforts within the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), followed by a detailed examination of customs cooperation under the Eurasian Economic Community (EurAsEC), the Customs Union, and finally, the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). The research highlights key legal and institutional instruments, including the EAEU Customs Code, and evaluates the transition from fragmented customs policies to a unified customs territory with common procedures and a single external tariff. Special attention is paid to the digital transformation of customs processes, such as the implementation of electronic declarations, the «single window» system, and traceability platforms. The article also examines persistent challenges that hinder integration, including the imperfection of legal frameworks, disparities in digital readiness among member states, widespread grey trade and parallel imports, political disagreements, and the influence of external sanctions. In assessing the future of customs integration, the article identifies several strategic directions: the transition to fully electronic customs administration; deeper cooperation with other regional structures such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and BRICS; harmonisation with WTO rules, particularly in the context of trade facilitation and the development of "green corridors"; and the formulation of a unified logistics strategy focusing on trans-Eurasian corridors, such as North-South and China-EU routes through EAEU territory. The potential for attracting foreign investment through the simplification and unification of customs procedures is also discussed. The article concludes that the success of post-Soviet integration projects depends significantly on the effectiveness, transparency, and institutional maturity of customs systems. It underscores the need for a long-term integration strategy based on technological modernisation, political coordination, and resilience to external economic pressures. The authors declare no conflicts of interests.
This article presents a comprehensive study analyzing the transformation of social roles and adaptation strategies of women during the armed conflict in the self-proclaimed DPR and LPR (DPR and LPR) from 2014 to 2024. The research problem is the contradiction between the preservation of traditional gender norms and the necessity of radical behavioral adaptation under extreme wartime conditions. The study aims to identify key factors, trajectories, and long-term consequences of changes in women's social status, economic behavior, and family structures in the conflict zone. The research is based on a mixed-methodology approach that integrates several data sources and analytical perspectives. Quantitative analysis of demographic statistics and economic indicators provided a macro-level understanding of population dynamics and socioeconomic trends. Additionally, ethnographic observation and analysis of personal documents (diaries, social media content) offered insights into everyday practices and informal adaptation mechanisms. The armed conflict has fundamentally transformed women's social positioning through several interconnected processes. First, economic adaptation emerged as a primary survival strategy, manifesting in income diversification (small-scale trade, craft production, shadow economy activities), professional requalification, and assuming the role of primary breadwinner in single-income households. Second, the breakdown of traditional social services prompted the development of extensive mutual aid networks and volunteer initiatives predominantly led by women. Third, family roles underwent significant reconfiguration, with women increasingly taking on decision-making responsibilities and protective functions traditionally associated with masculinity, while simultaneously maintaining caregiving duties. The study identifies several key factors determining variations in adaptation strategies. Age played a critical role, with middle-aged women (35-50) showing the highest entrepreneurial activity due to combined responsibilities for child-rearing and elder care. Political affiliation and social capital similarly affected strategic choices, particularly regarding migration decisions and access to humanitarian resources. Traditional gender norms have persisted despite these behavioral transformations, creating a phenomenon of "contradictory adaptation". The primary driver of changes in women's social behavior has been economic necessity and survival imperatives rather than ideological liberation or conscious feministic theory. The conflict has produced a complex reconfiguration rather than straightforward transformation of gender relations, characterized by increased female responsibilities without corresponding authority, expanded economic roles without institutional recognition, and sustained traditional expectations alongside unprecedented practical demands.
Chagaa-Bairam is the New Year, according to the lunar calendar. It is one of the most important holidays of the Altaians. Chagaa is celebrated in late January or early February, on the first new moon after the winter solstice. This article explores the celebration of Chagaa-Bairam in the urban setting of Gorno-Altaisk on 17 February 2024, identifying traditional Altai cultural elements manifest during this holiday. The work is based on the author's field materials collected during the sang rite. The subject of the study is the holiday Chagaa-Bairam in modern times. The topic of the Altai people's holiday culture is sufficiently covered in scientific works, but it should be noted that there are not many studies on the modern celebration of Chagaa-Bairam in urban conditions. Studying the contemporary celebration of Chagaa-Bayram in urban settings has a number of important implications. Firstly, it will reveal how Altaians adapt and preserve their traditions in the context of urban life. Secondly, research can shed light on how urbanisation affects the spiritual practices and beliefs of the Altai people. Third, such research can contribute to understanding cultural diversity and how holidays and traditions adapt to different urban contexts. The study revealed that the traditions of Chagaa-Bayram have been preserved and adapted to new realities. The role of the mountain cult is still important in the Altai culture. This is evidenced by the fact that before the beginning of the New Year celebration according to the lunar calendar, the rite is held on an elevated place. Moreover, the rite of & laquo;san salary & raquo; has not lost its symbolic meaning, but on the contrary, in the conditions of globalisation has been transformed and has become an object of popularization of Altai culture, attracting attention and interest to the unique traditions of the Altai people. It was concluded that the preservation and development of cultural traditions in the conditions of urbanisation is possible and even natural in maintaining cultural identity.
The modern Russian historiography of the intellectual heritage of the German philosopher of history and cultural scientist Oswald Spengler is considered. It is noted that a number of anniversaries in the late 2010s and early 2020s associated with Spengler's life and work aroused a new wave of interest in his intellectual heritage, which also affected domestic humanitarian thought. It should also be emphasized that to date, almost all of Spengler's main works have become available in Russian translation, and unpublished ones are being prepared for publication. The authors make a goal to consider the reception of Spengler's intellectual heritage in modern Russian humanitarian thought in recent years. The sources of the research are the works of Russian philosophers, historians, political scientists, and literary scholars. Domestic Spenglerianism has aAlong tradition, but a full-scale study by Russian humanities scholars of Spengler's intellectual heritage became possible only in modern Russian thought, which lifted the taboo from the works and ideas of the German thinker, who in the Soviet era was classified as a bourgeois-reactionary representative of German intellectual thought of the 20th century. The authors of the article consider the current stage of development of domestic Spenglerian. Regarding modern Russian philosophical reflection of Spengler's intellectual heritage, the authors note the study of various aspects of his philosophical-historical and cultural-historical concepts. Spengler's concept of & laquo; Faustian culture & raquo; has recently attracted the attention of literary scholars, as it is believed to have influenced the development of Western literature in the interwar period. The authors also note the importance of the works of modern Russian historical science in the study of Spengler's cultural, historical and political concepts. In particular, it was historians who made the important conclusion that the minor works of the author of & laquo;The Decline of Europe & raquo;, and those extracted from his archival heritage, are no less significant for understanding his philosophical, historical and political concept, although they are in the shadow of his main works. In conclusion, the authors state that modern Russian humanitarian thought reflects all aspects of the diverse intellectual heritage of Oswald Spengler.
The purpose of this study is to consider the problem of training interpreters and translators of the Kalmyk language in the first half of the XIX century in the Russian Empire. The main sources were office documents, as well as the service form lists of translators and interpreters of the Kalmyk People's Administration, identified in the funds of the Russian State Historical Archive, the State Archive of the Astrakhan Region, the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia and the Russian Geographical Society. The use of historical research methods allowed us to consider this process: firstly, in chronological order, secondly, to identify the main stages in solving the problem, the main criterion of which are the established classes and colleges; thirdly, to determine the contribution of both the center and the region in the formation and development of the process of training qualified translators. The center is represented by metropolitan officials, whereas to region belong local officials, the Kalmyk notables and graduates who became interpreters and translators of the foreign administration. In conclusion, the author states that the process of organizing the training of qualified personnel in the field of interpretation and translation from/into the Kalmyk language in the Russian Empire was due to integrative measures of the marginal territories of the state. The necessary training base has been established experimentally for half a century, primarily for the purpose of training personnel translators for the needs of public administration. An invaluable contribution to this matter was made by officials who discovered the problem of shortage of personnel and managed to find ways to solve it. Representatives of the Kalmyk privileged class, seeking to establish a communication channel for incorporation into the general imperial space, provided financial support. Graduates of the Kalmyk class, and then the Kalmyk school, being in the civil service, showed their knowledge and skills, receiving state awards.
