Abstract: The Euromaidan in Kyiv is an event of great political resonance, attracting attention of observers from Russia, the CIS and all of the world. This article provides the view at the Euromaidan events from the inside, with the eyes of the  Kyiv resident, social psychologist and analyst and scientific journalist.  The article includes an attempt of analysis of a number of economic, political, social and psychological events and phenomena, characterizing the latest turbulent events in Kyiv. The author discusses geo-political and economic position of the Ukraine, predefining its status as a borderline between the East and the West. Ukraine has a unique standing among the global political powers, its weight may tip the balance of scales in the geopolitical opposition between Russia and the West.  The author notes the need for the novel approaches towards achieving mutual understanding between Russia and Ukraine, pointing out social and psychological miscalculations of the Russian politics towards Ukraine, and offering some recommendations on optimization of cultural, social and economic cooperation between the two states, as well as on strengthening the pro-Russian vector in the Ukrainian politics.

Keywords: international relations, politics, Ukraine, Russia, Euromaidan, Yanukovych, colored revolution, opposition, security, national interests

Abstract: Today attention of the entire world is drawn to the events in Ukraine. The cruelty and unwillingness to compromise in a fight which in a matter of several days went all the way from separate clashes between the hooligans and the police to an organized armed riot, and it shall not pass unnoticed. Street fights in the capital of the neighboring state, and the fighters are Slavic people, belonging to the nation with inseparable cultural and historical ties with the Russian people. It worries Russian public, government and leaders of the Russian Federation. The Ukrainian nationalists serving as a point of the battering ram in a blow at the incumbent government call these events a "revolution", while it may only be regarded as an insurrection, an armed riot aimed at capturing the power, well-known globally under the name of "colored revolution". This conclusion is not accidental, since the Ukrainian events have the familiar elements, which are well-known by their presence in the colored revolution in the CIS territory, in Georgia, Central Asia, in the orange madness in Ukraine in early 2000s, and the recent Arabian Spring revolutions.

Keywords: international relations, politics, security, Ukraine, colored revolution, Euromaidan, Russia, threats, riot, conflict

Abstract: The modern political theory presents a new vision of the global order, where transnational players have an important role.  The concept of ruling classes changes, and the transnational political elites are introduced. One of hte key prerequisites for distinguishing this elite class includes revealing of its consolidation mechanisms, supporting transnational domination in the world. It is mostly informal associations of transnational elites, which serve as a structural platform for the formation of consensus regarding the most important issues of global policy.  The study mostly employs general logical methods, such as analysis, synthesis, induction, classification, combination of historical and logical analysis. The author makes a conclusion that the level of organization and integration among transnational elites is growing.  The priorly informal forums strengthen their positions in the transnational industrial matrix, and they earn more and more serious attitudes towards themselves from the scholars. At the same time, due to the closed character of the information, many aspects of activities of transnational elites within private transnational associations remain shadowed.

Keywords: transnational elites, Bilderberg Club , World Economic Forum, Trilateral commission, shadow power mechanisms, International Chamber of Commerce, the Bohemian Club, the Rome Club, transnational capitalist class, neo-liberalism

Abstract: The article is divided into three parts: social and political situation, which caused the Civil War; personality and biography of Abraham Lincoln, and, finally, evaluation of the role of Lincoln in the second American revolution.  The end of the war for the independence did not introduce changes into the development of either the North or the South, each of the parts of the new state continued its development according to the path, which was predefined by its geographical, climatic, demographic, and cultural situation.  The goal of the article was to find out how viable was the statement, that Abraham Lincoln played a prominent role in the development of the USA. There are usually two arguments in favor of this statement. According to the first one, role of Lincoln was purely positive. That is, if not for Lincoln and his participation in the Civil War,  the state would be split in two, slavery would remain in the South, and the USA would have never become what it is now. According to the second position, Lincoln played a purely negative role in the US history, since the Civil War was forced upon Lincoln by the South, and the war with all of its personal, material and financial losses was not necessary, the institution of slavery was dying out in the Southern states, which bordered the North, and the industrial revolution in the South made slavery outdates and non-economical anyway, so these processes would naturally preserve the Union and a united democratic nation.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, the USA, political history, Washington, diplomacy, state, interests, security, values

Abstract: The article concerns role and place of the Soviet Union in the foreign political strategy of the Kuomintang. The trouble spot of the civil war in Manchukuo remained for a very long time. The Russian population was divided into the opponents of the Soviet rule and those supporting it.  The financial situations differed, which  caused passive opposition. The lack of rights, economic dependency, unemployment made the Russian emigrants opposed to the Soviet citizens, causing them to join the military political anti-Soviet organizations. These organizations posed a serious threat to the Soviet Union, especially  at the early time of its existence. the "white" military immigration was watched by the Soviet intelligence services very attentively.  The counteractions to the undermining activities of the "white" emigrants, which was often aimed at the downfall of the Soviet rule took a lot of effort.  The tensions between two groups of former Russian residents in the territory of Manchukuo often involved victims.  It was especially obvious in the conflict for the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1929. The article used comparative method, allowing to compare the positions of China and Russia within the framework of their bilateral relations.  The authors worked with the large quantity of literature, materials, and based their article on these materials. In the last decades a lot was done. The fundamental studies were published, as well as analytical articles, and the historical issues were often discussed at the scientific conferences.  Special attention should be paid to the issuing of documentary series, which are mostly based on archives and other materials, illustrating the sources base for the Soviet studies, and there were also additional publications of certain archive documents in the Soviet journals. The documents, which were published, usually attracted attention of the general public. Currently, there is a new stage in casting light upon the past, including the foreign political history of the years before the war. It relates to the restoring of the scientific connections between the scientists in the USSR and the PRC, accessibility of the archive materials in Russia.  For many years, the Russian studies of China gave priority to the Soviet policy in the Soviet-Chinese relations.

Keywords: Kuomintang, treaty, the Chinese Eastern Railway, China, non-agression, relations, non-agression pact, signing , the Soviet Union, Chiang Kai-shek

Abstract: On October 7, 2013 the President of the Russian Federation has introduced a draft of the law of the Russian Federation on the amendments into the Constitution of the Russian Federation - "On the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the Prosecution of the Russian Federation". It is proposed to amend Art. 71, 83, 102, 104, 125, 126 and 128 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and to exclude Art. 127.  In addition to amendments to the Constitution of the Russian Federation, it shall be necessary to amend 28 Federal Constitutional Laws and Federal Laws, which shall form the second stage of hte legislative work on uniting the supreme courts. In order to achieve the results and to unite the courts of different jurisdictions, there shall be a transitional period of six months.  In order to form the united court the special qualification board for the choice of candidates for the positions of judges of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation shall be formed, and it shall include 27 members. The new united Supreme Court of the Russian Federation shall be comprised of 170 judges.

Keywords: international relations, politics, Russia, judicial power, judicial reform, political regime, conflict, political system, political process, law