Abstract: This article is devoted to the study of the civil war in Syria, which the country plunged into in a result of the United States' project of "color revolutions" and "managed chaos" in the Middle East and North Africa. The article analyzes the goals, tasks, forms and methods of struggle of the sides of the conflict, both on the side of the Syrian government and belonging to the irreconcilable ("Islamic state") and the "moderate" opposition, the differences between which are not quite significant. The methodology of the research is based on the systems approach, the structural-functional, the comparative-political approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and observation. The author describes the role of Russia's foreign policy in Syria for the fight against international terrorism in the context of difficult relations with the United States, conducting its anti-terrorist operation in the region. It is noted that it was Russia's participation in the Syrian conflict that put an end to the scenario of the color revolution of the "Arab Spring", preserved the Syrian state and, consequently, the possibility of the Syrian people to choose their destiny.

Keywords: geopolitics, Russia, global politics, US foreign policy, international relationships, diplomacy, international conflicts, State, security, "Color revolutions"

Abstract: The subject of the study is the potential and the main directions of “soft power” of the BRICS countries, namely the Federative Republic of Brazil and the Republic of South Africa. Brazil and South Africa are the rising powers of the present, with the claims on economic and political leadership, respectively, in the regions of Latin America and Africa. Despite the seeming differences, these countries have a lot in common. Apart from the BRICS membership, Brazil and South Africa are the centers of the unique civilizations, the engines of economic growth and integration processes in South America and Africa. Finally, they only start realizing their “soft power” policies on the international arena and often choose parallel courses, which is of a special scientific interest. The methodology of the research is based on the systems approach, the structural-functional and comparative approaches, the methods of analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction, observation. Today the “soft power” instruments are gaining special importance for the BRICS countries. After several years of a successful progressive development and economic growth, in 2015 the BRICS countries have faced new serious challenges. In the new circumstances, in order to maintain their positions on the international scene, the BRICS countries need to use the instruments of “soft power”. In Russian historiography the comparative analysis of the potential and the main directions of “soft power” of Brazil and South Africa is carried out for the first time. 

Keywords: Foreign policy, Diplomacy, SOUTH AFRICA, Brazil, Global Governance, BRICS, Integration, UN, Ecology, Football

Abstract: The subject of the research is the study of the role of the Islamic factor in democratization of the modern Arab societies. Democratization of the society is one of the key and the most important elements of the modern globalization processes. The aim of democratization is the implantation of various democratic freedoms, equality of rights, political pluralism, etc. in various spheres of the society. There’s no alternative to such a dominating factor as Islam in the Arab Middle East, therefore, all the processes, touching the Arab society, should take the role and the meaning of Islam into consideration. Constructivism is one of the methodological approaches to the analysis of social factors and processes in the Arab world. The use of the constructivist approach promotes the deeper understanding of political and social processes in the Arab Middle East. The special contribution of the author is the conclusion that the notions ‘Islam’ and ‘democracy’ should not be opposed to each other, since democracy without religion in Arab countries won’t have any result. Islam has played and is playing the major role in many spheres of social life in the Arab Middle East. 

Keywords: democracy, Islam, security, international security, democratization, integration, National security, globalization, Ummah, national identity

Abstract: The urgency of the research in undoubtful, since today the migration of the population is a complex socio-economic phenomenon, connected with various sides of social life, the formation and development of the tendencies of their transformation. Moreover, migration is the most important factor defining the dynamics of socio-economic processes. But we should take into consideration that both the politics of adaptation and integration of migrants and the approaches to the granting of national citizenship are, as a rule, overlooked by the researchers. Constructivism is one of the methodological approaches to the analysis of social factors and processes in the Arab word. The use of the constructivist approach furthers a deeper understanding of political and social processes in the Arab Middle East. In the result of the research, the authors conclude that the problem of forced migration is one of the most serious demographic problems not only in the Arab Middle East, but in the whole world in general. The effective migration management can help create the necessary conditions for the observation of human rights and freedoms, the improvement of the quality of life and the reduction of social tension. 

Keywords: migration, immigration, security, international security, integration, National security, migration, migration policy, globalization, citizenship

Abstract: The main subject of the research is North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem which is one of the key factors of relations aggravation in Northeast Asia. The author analyzes the evolution of North Korea’s nuclear program development, the first and the second nuclear crises and the 1994 Geneva treaty. The article raises the issue of the confrontation between the USA and North Korea about the Korean peninsula denuclearization, the role of international organizations in the attempt to settle North Korea’s nuclear problem. The author studies the process of the 2003 – 2008 six-sided talks; provides the arguments for the topicality of application of the term “the Korean peninsula denuclearization” and the reasons for the armaments drive intensification in Northeast Asia. The article gives the opportunity to understand the essence of North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem and to realize the importance of Korea’s nuclear threat and its consequences. The theoretical base comprises the systems and the dialectical approaches to the analysis of the situation on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia in relation to the nuclear-missile threat of the DPRK. The author applies the problem-chronological and the comparative-historical methods. The topicality of the problem can be explained by the ongoing instability on the Korean peninsula and in Northeast Asia. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the study of the evolution of North Korea’s nuclear-missile problem and the problem of the Korean peninsula denuclearization. The author carries out a detailed analysis of bilateral relations of the USA and the DPRK in relation to the issues of North Korea denuclearization. The author comes to the conclusion about the necessity to intensify international efforts of the leading countries (the USA, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea) for the solution of this problem.   

Keywords: USA, South Korea, missile and nuclear threat, ballistic missile, nuclear tests, North Korea, The Korean peninsula, denuclearization, arms race, Geneva Accord of 1994 .

Abstract: The object of the research covers Russia-Bahrain relations on the recent stage (2014 – 2015); the subject includes the features and specific peculiarities of the so-called “Bahrain syndrome”. The “Bahrain syndrome” is defined by the author as a phenomenon of a foreign-policy behavior of small states which is characterized by the active participation of various coalitions, maneuvering between the interests of the great powers for the purpose of maintaining the balance of powers in the region, the support of political agreements with financial and economic treaties for the purpose of realization of national needs. The research focuses on the factors, promoting the development and evolution of the “Bahrain syndrome”, their interdependence and ability to influence the formation of Russia-Bahrain relations. The key research method is the comparative-political analysis; the author also applies the factor analysis when defining the factors influencing the formation of the “Bahrain syndrome”. The author concludes that the general features of the “Bahrain syndrome” can be supplemented with the specific components, relevant only to the Kingdom of Bahrain, such as the restriction of the discussion of some domestic policy issues with the partners, particularly, the reluctance to involve the other states in the problems of internal development of the Bahrain society; particular spheres of social and cultural cooperation develop without any connection with political and economic spheres of bilateral relations. Among the reasons and factors, influencing the formation and evolution of the “Bahrain syndrome”, the author enumerates the factors of Ukraine and Crimea, the USA and Great Britain, and the factor of the “Arab Spring”. The latter can be considered as the stimulating factor, and the former two – as the hampering ones. 

Keywords: military and political cooperation, Islamic banking, Russian Federation, Arab spring, US factor, Factor Ukraine, Russian- Bahraini relations, Kingdom of Bahrain, Bahrain 's syndrome, social and cultural cooperation

Abstract: The article reveals the issues of the development of relations between the Russian Empire and the United States in the mid-19th century. The authors consider the international-legal situation of that period. The authors carry out the analysis of the Far Eastern policy of the Russian Empire in the post-reform period. The authors note that Russian-American relations in the late 19th century were characterized with the strengthening of friendly relations and establishment of business and trade contacts. Moreover, the US also had their interests in the Far East and could protect them effectively only with the help of the Russian state. The authors of the research apply the general methods of cognition: the materialist and dialectical methods and the method of scientific abstraction which gave the opportunity to study Russian-American relations in their development, to reveal the features of the Far Eastern policy of the Russian Empire of the post-reform period. The general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, deduction and induction and the system-structural method helped in the analysis of Russia-United States relations of the mid-19th century and the formulation of conclusions about their impact on the world politics. Thus, the mutually beneficial cooperation between Russia and the US, established in the late 17th – the early 19th century, continued in the late 19th century. 

Keywords: Alaska, concession, Russian-American relations, Far East, Crimean War, Russian-American Company, Kamchatka, Navy, food security, military neutrality