Abstract: The subject of this study is the initial stage of forming the national system of design and engineering organizations in the field of artillery. This period is fundamental in the process of establishing the principles of functioning of design bureaus within the system of scientific and technical organizations of the USSR. The stages of development of design bureaus (DB) of artillery specialization are considered, starting with the activities of the DB of the Special Artillery Testing Commission. The period of reorganization of artillery design bureaus, implemented at the turn of the 1920s and 1930s, when they were transferred from the jurisdiction of the People’s Commissariat for Military and Naval Affairs to the authority of the Supreme Council of National Economy, is characterized. A list of enterprises identified as the base for creating design bureaus is provided, and the contradictions of the first five years of their activities are determined. The complex of methods used included the processing of archival materials, historical-scientific analysis of foundational works, and comparative-historical methods. As a result of this research, using the example of artillery design bureaus, the main milestones in the formation of the system of design and research organizations that developed military equipment and armaments for the main branches of the Red Army or contributed to this activity were identified for the first time. Such organizations also existed under the Air Force, Navy, and others. An important conclusion is the indication that, in addition to design and engineering organizations, scientific research institutes operated within the same branches of the military, conducting research to find technical solutions that would enhance the effectiveness of the relevant types of armaments. The combination and coordination of the functioning of these organizations—design bureaus, research institutes, and test sites—established in the 1930s ensured the possibility of developing and setting up serial production of high-level weapon and military equipment samples of appropriate quality, many of which were groundbreaking on a global scale.

Keywords: history of technology, weapons design, design organization, design bureau, Kosartop, Main Artillery Directorate, Artillery Directorate, small arms and cannon armament, research institute, scientific testing ground

Abstract: The article examines the key symptoms of the "ultimate universal mixing" in the socio-political thought of K. N. Leontiev. It establishes how individualism, scientific progress, and technology accelerate the onset of "universal mixing." All three factors are considered through the lens of his eschatological views, which formed the core of the original hypothesis of the "trinitarian process" (according to which, every phenomenon undergoes stages of primary simplicity, flourishing complexity, and secondary simplification). The study reveals how individualism, the development of science, and progress in technology lead to the erosion of the foundations of cultural-historical types, their "undermining" and "dilution," resulting in a mixing that occurs not only within specific types but also at the level of civilizations as a whole. The latter represents a kind of "post-beat" of Leontiev's hypothesis of "trinitarian development." The work is based on the principles of analysis and synthesis, credibility, and objectivity, with a methodological foundation rooted in a systemic approach, in which the object is considered as a holistic complex of interrelated elements. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the most comprehensive examination of the symptoms of "secondary simplification mixing" from the perspective of Leontiev's eschatology as a crucial component of his historiography. The "Optina hermit" noted that the principles of individualism negatively affect religious consciousness, enhancing "mobility" (horizontal and, subsequently, vertical, that is, class-based), destroying class distinctions, and undermining the political foundation of the state. Leontiev viewed the rapid scientific progress negatively. He considered the desire for consciousness and the predominance of the conscious over the unconscious as signs of "profound obsolescence." As a result, the Church as an institution is weakened, and the religious foundation of the state, as well as civilization as a whole, is undermined. Science justifies social progress and thus appears not as national but as "cosmopolitan." For all these reasons, science should develop "in contempt of its utility." Leontiev envisioned technology as an antithesis to all organic life. It is only beneficial to the bourgeoisie, the bearer of "Pan-European" and "universal humanitarian" values. Moreover, rapid technological development poses a danger because it could lead to a universal catastrophe, due to which, Leontiev prophesied, "the air will roll up like a scroll."

Keywords: K. N. Leontiev, the history of Russian thought, conservatism, technic, Eschatology, the civilizational approach, Historiosophy, I. I. Fudel, V. V. Rozanov, progress

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the analysis of the French intervention in southern Russia in 1918-1919, undertaken in the context of the end of World War I, the collapse of the Central Powers, and the escalation of the Civil War in Russia. The subject of the research is France's military-political strategies in the post-war period, its attempts to expand influence in the territories of the former Russian Empire, as well as the internal logic of decision-making within the French military and diplomatic leadership. Special attention is given to the interaction of French representatives with the Volunteer Army, the assessment of resources involved in the campaign, and the degree of realism of the developed plans. The work covers both France's strategic objectives and the practical difficulties in implementing them in the conditions of political instability, logistical constraints, and diplomatic contradictions. The goal of the research is to identify the political, military, and organizational factors that influenced the formation of the strategy of the French command and the reasons for the failure of the intervention. Methodologically, the work is based on the analysis of official documents, correspondence of the military command, and diplomatic telegrams that allow tracing the decision-making process and the contradictions within the French authority. A systemic approach is also applied, taking into account the political context and international interests of the Entente. As a result, it has been established that despite the declared aim of supporting anti-Bolshevik forces, the intervention had a largely economic-political character and was oriented towards restoring French influence and assets in the region. The French strategy suffered from a lack of coherence between the army and naval commands, resource shortages, unclear mandates, and troop demoralization. All of this led to the failure of ambitious plans, which were limited to control over coastal ports. The results of the work may be useful in researching France's foreign policy strategy, the history of interventions, and international involvement in civil conflicts. The conclusions of the article emphasize that the intervention, conceived as a means of influence, proved to be ineffective due to systemic management errors and a strategic overestimation of capabilities.

Keywords: Intervention, France, South of Russia, Entente, Volunteer Army, Civil War, Black Sea, Military planning, Anti-Bolshevik forces, Entente strategy

Abstract: Personal history (history in biographies) is one of the most relevant areas in modern historical science. Historians conducting research in line with the resurgent biographical method and new biographical history focus on the lives of individual people. The name of the famous Russian architect Vasily Ivanovich Bazhenov (1738–1799) has been forever etched in the annals of history. Despite the abundance of research on the biography of this outstanding architect, the personal history of his descendants remains largely unexplored. As is well known, almost all of Bazhenov's grandchildren were born before their parents' marriage, which means they were illegitimate (born out of wedlock). In 1810, Emperor Alexander I established the Commission of Petitions to consider complaints against top government institutions and petitions from individuals addressed to the emperor. Among the petitions of individuals, petitions for the legitimization of illegitimate children occupied a special place. During the study of the Commission's journals, which are stored in the Russian State Historical Archive in St. Petersburg, previously unknown information about the illegitimate grandchildren of Vasily Bazhenov and their legitimization was revealed. This article explores the potential of the Commission's journals for reconstructing the personal history of the descendants of the well-known architect, which can also be applied to the reconstruction of the personal histories of other famous families. Without this archival source, which has not been widely used in scientific research, it would have been almost impossible to discover many previously unknown facts about the descendants of a prominent Russian cultural figure. In addition, this study presents previously unknown information from the history of the Bazhenov family, found in other sources. This study uses such methods of historical research as historical-genetic, historical-comparative, historical-systemic, etc., as well as the biographical method and methodological tools of auxiliary historical disciplines, primarily genealogy, are widely used.

Keywords: personal history, biographical method, source studies, local history, genealogy, Commission of Petitions, architect Vasily Bazhenov, Arzamas Uyezd, Nizhny Novgorod Province, archival sources

Abstract: The article is dedicated to the employment of women and minors in the chemical industry of the Russian Empire during the 1880s and 1890s, using the example of three provinces – Vladimir, Moscow, and St. Petersburg – in the context of the emergence of factory legislation aimed at regulating, among other things, the use of labor from the specified age and gender cohorts. Based on the factory and plant directories from 1884 and 1894, the article analyzes the factors influencing the dynamics of the share of adult men among all workers in chemical establishments – the level of mechanization, their age, specialization, location, etc. The selected provinces represent two industrial regions, the old (Moscow) and the new (St. Petersburg), which historians often contrast concerning the use of female labor, and the article examines the relevance of such an approach concerning the chemical industry. From a methodological perspective, the study relies on historical-genetic, comparative (diachronic), and systemic methods. The main conclusions of the article can be summarized as follows. The chemical industry of the Russian Empire in the 1880s and 1890s resorted to the use of cheap labor in significant amounts, regardless of which specific group of productions was concerned (there were exceptions, but they are overshadowed by key industries) and the level of mechanization of the establishments, which, according to several researchers, was supposed to decrease manufacturers' interest in it. One cannot speak of the effectiveness of factory legislation concerning the chemical industry, as both analyzed chronological cuts show an increase in both the number and share. Regarding several industrial sectors, historians consider this package of regulations as an element of the rivalry between the Moscow and St. Petersburg industrial regions, but in the case of the chemical industry, there can be no talk of serious competition, as the St. Petersburg province leaves Moscow far behind in key indicators – and, unlike the textile productions, for which the adopted regulatory acts were originally directed, it actively employs the labor of women and children.

Keywords: Russian empire, Modernization in the late Russian empire, Urbanization, Woman labour, Child labour, Chemical industry, Labour laws, Labour inspection, Moscow industrial region, St. Petersburg industrial region

Abstract: This article is devoted to the analysis of Soviet-Moroccan trade and economic relations in the first decade of Morocco's independent existence. The subject of the study is the reasons for establishing contacts between the countries, the institutional framework of partnership, the role of visits by the leaders of the two countries in developing cooperation and determining its priorities. Special attention is paid to the practical aspects of economic cooperation in the 1960s, including the structure of trade turnover, financing and implementation of the first projects, as well as the difficulties encountered in this work. The objective of the research is to study the mechanisms of cooperation between the USSR and Morocco in this area, the tools for adapting the foreign economic practice of the Soviet Union to Moroccan specifics and the key results of joint activities at the initial stage. The main sources of the study were archival materials from foreign trade agencies and organizations of the USSR responsible for developing economic relations with Morocco, and publications of Moroccan periodicals from the 1960s. The methods used in the article include the processing of archival data and the comparative historical method. As a result of the conducted research, the prerequisites for the establishment and development of trade and economic relations between the Soviet Union and Morocco in the middle of the 20th century are identified, the regulatory framework and practical aspects of cooperation are described. The key conclusion is an indication of the fact that the trade imbalance that existed from the very beginning of the exchange, as well as a number of discrepancies in approaches with the Moroccan government to the implementation of joint projects, including due to the lack of a long history of practical contacts, were not fully taken into account by the Soviet side in the early years of cooperation and created prerequisites for the manifestation of systemic problems in the future.

Keywords: trade cooperation, economic cooperation, industrial modernization, trade mission, institutional framework, trade agreement, commodity exchange, credit, product range, trade imbalance

Abstract: The article deals with the process of "legalizing" runaway monastic serfs settled in the Simbirsk Uyezd (Volga region). They were recorded during the first revision (census) in the early 1720s, but contrary to tradition, they were not deported to their former residence. The formal opportunity for this was provided by Peter the Great's resolution of February 9, 1723: "where there are entire villages, or where half or a third, the runaway serfs are to be returned to their landlords with lands, and where less, they are to be deported as others". The subject of the research are the methods of "legalization": the legal formalization of newly emerged monastic land tenure as well as the duties imposed on the peasants by the landlords. The article also pays attention to the features of settlement of runaways and their descendants in the Simbirsk Uyezd. The research methodology is based on the comparative analysis of officer inventories and revision records of the first three censuses. With these sources we can discover settlements where runaway serfs and their descendants lived, and then we are able to reconstruct the emergence of these settlements. During the reconstruction, a cartographic method was used as all revealed settlements were localized on a map in the QGIS. The study revealed that most of the "legalized" monastic estates did not meet the criteria defined by Peter the Great's resolution. There were only 6 villages of total 50 ones where runaway serfs made up more than a third of the inhabitants. The ways of legal formalization of monastic land tenure depended on the landowner whose lands the fugitives settled in. On manorial lands it was formalized by a private law transaction, and in yasak villages it was nothing more than a share in the usage of common land. The land ownership of the Nizhny Novgorod Pechersky Monastery was based on the seizure of empty land by runaways that was not formalized by any official documents. Most of the returned serfs paid money dues to their monasteries. Meanwhile, de facto some runaways did not submit their formal landlords and did not fulfill any obligations towards them.

Keywords: runaway serfs, monastic land tenure, colonization of frontier regions, Middle Volga region, Simbirsk Uyezd, Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius, Nativity Monastery in Vladimir, Pechersky Monastery in Nizhny Novgorod, revision records, officer inventories

Abstract: The article presents an analysis of the works of American historian Alison Des Forges, conducted to explore the cognitive possibilities of oral history research practices. The history of Central African states is impossible without the inclusion of oral sources, and although traditional historiography actively relies on them when illuminating the region's characteristics, it remains within the genre of "notebooks of foreigners." Oral tradition, linguistic and everyday specifics, and personal memories have not only served as the empirical basis for Des Forges' research on the history of Rwanda but also provided an "insider's perspective" on the events of the onset of European colonization and the genocide of the Tutsi in 1994. This has allowed for a more complete picture of events, facilitating their perception not as abstract exoticism but as a shared suffering of victims with an awareness of a common historical path. The method of actualization was employed in determining the role of innovative results obtained through oral history methodologies. A retrospective analysis was used to evaluate the validity of the criticisms of outdated concepts and interpretations that arose under the influence of political conjuncture, which were rejected in later studies and did not receive confirmation from eyewitness testimonies. Using Des Forges' works as an example, the heuristic qualities of oral history are examined, allowing for the identification of shortcomings in official versions of events, understanding the emotional aspects of their experiences by participants, utilizing witness testimonies to establish the correct sequence, and determining the subjective motives of the actors involved. As an independent sub-discipline, oral history in Des Forges' research has emerged as a self-sufficient approach to analyzing the causes of the genocide in Rwanda and as an optimally selected form of representation of the tragedy that occurred. The article may be useful in elective courses on oral history to illustrate the successes of this research direction. The popularization of Des Forges' works for a wider readership may be of interest for familiarizing them with the best examples of literature on the history of Rwanda.

Keywords: oral history, eyewitness accounts, oral tradition, Musinga, Rwanda, Belgian colonization, Tutsi, Hutu, genocide, ethnic conflict

Abstract: The article is devoted to the study of offenses committed by the Chinese population in the Russian Amur Region in the late XIX – early XX centuries. Relations between migrants and local authorities were very difficult. The fault of the emerging problems was most often the behavior of migrants and the wary attitude of the local population towards them. The work analyzes the circumstances that contributed to the commission of offenses among the Chinese. Particular attention is paid to the types of crimes common among migrants, and the reaction of local authorities to these phenomena. In sources of various types reflecting the events of the period under review, there is information about violations of Russian laws by the Chinese population. In turn, the complaints of the migrants themselves allow us to conclude about the attitude of the Russian authorities towards them. The study is based on an analysis of documents from the Archive of Foreign Policy of the Russian Empire, court materials and periodicals. The novelty of the work lies in the circulation of new archival sources on the problem. In the course of the study, the author comes to the conclusion that in the late XIX – early XX century. Chinese migrants, while adapting to living conditions in new territories, committed various kinds of offenses. Offenses committed by Chinese migrants ranged from minor misdemeanors involving violations of local norms and customs to more serious crimes such as smuggling, speculation, and even crimes against the person (murder, robbery, theft, etc.). The main reason for the commission of crimes by the Chinese was economic difficulties. This was aggravated by insufficient control of the migration process by local authorities, a shortage of personnel, a small local population, as well as non-interference in the affairs of migrants by the Qing government.

Keywords: Chinese Empire, Russian Empire, Far East, Chinese migration, migrants, hunhuz, smuggling, opium, offences, crimes

Abstract: This article examines the development of the Russian banking system from 2000 to 2013, analyzing key strategic documents of the government and the Central Bank. After the 1998 crisis, which significantly reduced the number of credit institutions, the banking system suffered from low capitalization, a lack of trust, and a narrow resource base. In the early 2000s, Gref's program became the basis for reform. The program provided for a reduction in tax pressure, the introduction of a deposit guarantee system, a “cleansing” of banks through mass inspections, tightening of capital requirements, and the introduction of international reporting standards. There were also plans to centralize banking supervision and liberalize the admission of foreign capital. However, despite these measures, the full implementation of the reform tasks, especially in terms of admitting foreign capital, was delayed until 2013. The 2001 Banking Sector Development Strategy continued the line of the Gref Program, but its implementation was partial, with insufficient effectiveness in assessing credit risks and opening the banking sector to foreign capital. The 2004 banking crisis, caused by depositor panic and an outflow of funds, demonstrated the ineffectiveness of some regulatory measures and banking selection tools. The 2004 strategy and the 2006 medium-term program of the Fradkov government focused on building the banking sector's potential for economic growth and positioning it in international markets. During this period, the task of creating a mega-regulator for all segments of the financial market was also set for the first time. By 2011, the situation in Russian banking allowed for the goal of creating an international financial center and selecting the banking system. Thus, it can be stated that the main tasks set out in the documents have been accomplished.

Keywords: contemporary russian history, history of Russian banking, banking system, financial system of Russia, development strategies of Russia, banking system reform, economic crisis, history of the Central Bank of Russia, Putin, Putin`s reforms

Abstract: The article reconstructs the strategies of the interaction between the editorial offices of the newspapers “Moskovskie Vedomosti”, “Grazhdanin”, and “Novoe Vremya” with the Main Directorate for Press Affairs (GUDP) from 1894 to 1899. It examines the unsuccessful attempt to appoint V.A. Gringmut to the post of head of the GUDP while simultaneously granting him control of “Moskovskie Vedomosti” in 1896. The study's materials demonstrate that in response to appeals to the GUDP from the editor of “Moskovskie Vedomosti”, V.A. Gringmut, and the publisher of "Grazhdanin", Prince V.P. Meshchersky, concerning the removal of imposed restrictions, the Minister of Internal Affairs, I.L. Goremykin (often with the sanction of Nicholas II), made decisions favorable to these conservative publications. Particular attention is paid to the informal practices of interaction between editors and censors, as well as to the relationships between the publisher of "Novoye Vremya", A.S. Suvorin, and the heads of the GUDP, E.M. Feoktistov and M.P. Solovyov. The article touches upon the issue of the “Novoe Vremya” editorial office disclosing sources of information published in the newspaper concerning sensitive aspects of policy in the Far East. The claims of various government departments regarding the content of articles in "Grazhdanin" and "Novoye Vremya" and the GUDP's reactions to them are separately analyzed.The methodological foundation of the study is a systems approach, which includes comparative analysis and the use of internal documentation and official correspondence of the GUDP, periodical materials, published and unpublished personal documents of leading political figures, publishers, and editors of newspapers and magazines as sources. The scientific novelty of the work is determined by the need for a comprehensive study of the mutual influence of domestic policy and journalistic activity covering it, within the context of an underdeveloped legal system and growing crisis phenomena in public administration at the turn of the 20th century. The outcome of the work is an attempt to reconstruct and conduct a comparative analysis of the mechanisms of informal communication between publishers and editors of periodicals with the GUDP, and to determine the degree of state involvement in journalistic activity. The conclusions drawn from the research indicate the prevalence of informal practices in the relationship between the conservative press and the MDPA in the second half of the 1890s, and also emphasize that the formally existing legal norms were applied selectively to conservative publications during this period.

Keywords: Moskovskie Vedomosti, Grazhdanin, Novoe Vremya, GUDP, I. L. Goremykin, M. P. Soloviev, E. M. Feoktistov, V. A. Gringmut, V. P. Meshchersky, A. S. Suvorin

Abstract: The object of this article's research is the state of the highway network during the First World War. The subject of the research is the activities of the Moscow Provincial Zemstvo in the field of roads. The article examines the impact of the war on the activities of the Zemstvo bodies, which took on a large number of additional functions related to the specific conditions of wartime and the state of affairs in the country and the province. The main sources for studying this issue are the Minutes of Meetings and Decisions of the Moscow Provincial Zemstvo, which allow us to trace all stages of road decision-making, from the inception of ideas for improving road infrastructure to the implementation of major highway projects. Their materials proved that changes during the First World War also affected the traditional sphere of zemstvo activity – road construction. The methodological basis of this study is the principles of historicism, concreteness, and objectivity. The methods used in this work include the problem-chronological and historical-genetic methods. The article highlights the main areas of zemstvo work in the field of roads during wartime: finding new ways to replenish the road budget (exploiting roadside cuts, regulating road tolls, reducing the travel expenses of road department employees, and involving private individuals and institutions), reviewing petitions from county zemstvos, regulating the supply of materials, improving the legal aspects of road transactions, and addressing labor shortages, such as allowing women to work at road checkpoints alongside men and employing prisoners of war on road construction projects. The authors have proven that during the First World War, despite the many problems caused primarily by a lack of funding, the zemstvo bodies continued to actively engage in the development of the road network in the Moscow province. The novelty of the study lies in a more in-depth examination of the road network. The novelty of the research lies in a deeper study of road construction in wartime conditions, expanding the understanding of the significance of the Minutes of Meetings of the Moscow Provincial Zemstvo as historical sources, and introducing new archival materials stored in the Central Archive of the City of Moscow into scientific circulation.

Keywords: First World War, Moscow Provincial Zemstvo, highway construction, road budget, road construction, local government, zemstvo, road network, highway, cost optimization

Abstract: The article explores the speculation of securities on the stock market of the Russian Empire in the early 20th century as part of the mechanism of price formation and the coordination of interests among banking syndicates, industrial capital, and private players. The article reconstructs a typology of market participants: "capitalists" (long-term investors), professional speculators, and the "public," differentiated by their appetite for risk, investment horizon, and behavior discipline. Speculation in late imperial Russia was an integral mechanism of market functioning: it ensured the circulation of securities, and the actions of the state and banks directly influenced the investment climate and the structure of interests in the capital market. Speculation supported high market liquidity. The article systematically demonstrates that professionals in trading considered the psychological climate in their investment practices: the level of stock market excitement, the mood of the trading public regarding specific securities, and the perception of the innovativeness of companies. The research relies on the approach of behavioral finance: price dynamics is interpreted as an expression of collective expectations, excessive optimism/panic, along with rational factors. The source base includes professional treatises on speculation (A. A. Vasiliev, 1912), journalistic writings by market participants (I. P. Manus, 1905), and materials from the Moscow State Archive (fond 143, Moscow Exchange Committee). It is shown that risk-free state funds served as the benchmark for assessing other assets, and discrepancies with them and the state of the money market directed capital flows between "risk-free" and more profitable securities. Through industry examples (securities of railway companies), the institutional features of issuing securities (stocks and bonds) are illustrated. Methods for assessing the investment attractiveness of securities prevalent in the financial practices of the period are described. The practices of targeted support for the quotes of government bonds by states are examined; markets perceived the stability of public funds as a key element of financial stability and increased trust in policy. The research approaches of behavioral finance turned out to be a productive methodological foundation for analyzing materials on the history of the stock market.

Keywords: stock market, Russian Empire, securities speculation, price formation, government bonds, behavioral finance, market microstructure, risk-free benchmark, behavioral anomalies, financial intervention

Abstract: The article examines the temporal aspects of medieval and modern medical libraries in Europe in the context of an attempt to predict their future development. The study of the temporal dynamics of medical libraries in Europe during the Middle Ages and today is based on the analysis of historical data, which allows us to make predictions about the future of these institutions. This study aims to identify possible ways libraries can evolve in the context of changes in society, technology, and the information environment. A systematic approach to the study of temporal changes in these library systems creates a basis for understanding how they can adapt and transform in response to new challenges and demands of the time. According to the basic principles of historical science, based on the analysis of various historical sources and modern research, the issue of the temporology of medical libraries in Europe in the Middle Ages and in our time is considered in the context of an attempt to make a futurological forecast of their future development.  The research uses both general scientific and specific historical methods. Comparative historical and descriptive approaches to the analyzed sources are applied. The temporology of medical libraries in Europe, since the Middle Ages, demonstrates an evolution not only in the content, but also in the functional role of these institutions. In the Middle Ages, medical books were often available only to a narrow circle of specialists and those who had been trained in monastic schools. Libraries served the function of storing both scientific knowledge and religious texts, which greatly limited access to information. The analysis of historical data in this article for the first time attempts to predict the future of medical librarianship in the context of digitalization and globalization. Current trends, such as the use of artificial intelligence to manage collections and provide information, promise to radically change the availability of medical knowledge. Libraries will be rebuilt as centers not only for the storage, but also for the active dissemination and analysis of information, which, in turn, will significantly affect their role in healthcare.

Keywords: libraries, medical libraries, medicine, books, Europe, the Middle Ages, modernity, futurology, temporology, manuscripts

Abstract: The subject of the research article is the adaptation of philological categories "intertextuality" (connections between texts) and "polygenre" (genre heterogeneity within a text) as methodological tools of historical science for the analysis of textual sources. The study focuses on how the application of these categories allows for the deconstruction of the "monolithicity" of historical documents (using the example of the memoirs and scientific article by T. E. Lawrence), revealing in them borrowings, insertions from other works, or microtexts with different genre nature (for example, a scientific article within memoirs). The aim of the study is to demonstrate that the use of the proposed categories will enable historians to more accurately determine the authorship of text fragments, reconstruct the history of the source's creation, assess the reliability of information, and identify authorial strategies through the lens of genre conventions. The research employs comparative-textological analysis and genre attribution based on linguistic criteria. The foundation of the methodology is the adaptation of philological concepts of intertextuality (R. Barthes, J. Kristeva) and polygenre (D. K. Karsliyeva, E. A. Andreeva, V. I. Khomyakov). The study offers a systematic adaptation of the philological categories of "intertextuality" and "polygenre" into historical source studies as a new methodological tool. The novelty lies in the following: 1) demonstration, using the genres of memoirs and scientific articles, of the possibility of developing criteria for genre attribution of beyond phrase units (purpose, functions, structure, terminology) for historians; 2) consideration of two types of heterogeneity within sources – insertions from other specific and complete works (using the example of the inclusion of the military-scientific article by T. E. Lawrence in his memoirs) and "organic" polygenre (microtexts of different genre nature, such as a geographical essay in the introduction to the memoirs). The main conclusions are as follows: these categories are effective for deconstructing the "monolithicity" of sources, reconstructing their "archaeology" (sources of fragments, stages of creation), and identifying author's strategies through genre conventions. This allows for a shift from intuitive analysis of the text's attributes to a reflective plane, opening up prospects for reinterpreting historical research.

Keywords: intertextuality, polygenre, T. E. Lawrence, memoirs, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, history and literature, history and linguistics, historical source, genre category, text category

Abstract: The author considers the question of the origin of the name of the people, known from ancient and medieval sources as "dzurdzuki // durdzuki // tsurtsk". The information from these sources and scientific works about the Dzurdzuk, as well as their ethnogenetic connections with the tribes of the Hurrian-Urartian community, is studied. The analysis of the currently existing main versions of the origin of the term "dzurdzuki" is carried out. At the same time, the author offers his original point of view of the etymology of this term. In historical science, it is considered that in the sources the ethnonym "dzurdzuki" was used as a common name for the ancestors of modern Nakh peoples. The purpose of this article is to show, based on ethnographic material and scientific data accumulated recently, that the term "dzurdzuk" is the Georgian origin of the common ethnonym of two ancient Nakh ethnic groups: Tsovtsy (Tsova) and Ortskhoevtsy (Artsukh). When studying this issue, the work used narrative, historical-genetic, historical-chronological, historical-comparative, etc. methods. According to the author, the ancestors of the Tsova-Ortskhoevites were part of the last migration wave of Hurrian-Urartian tribes to the Caucasus, associated with the decline of the Van kingdom in the VI century BC. From the territory of Tsupani and Alzini Tsoba-Arza migrated to Chaldia, in the Southeastern Black Sea region. Then some of them move east to the lake Sevan, where the regions of Artsakh (Orchistena) and Tsovna (Tsanika) arise. In the VII-VIII centuries, through the Gardman, the "Chaldean men" migrated to the Central Caucasus, where their tribes lived. Subsequently, they moved to the northern slopes of the Caucasian Ridge and occupied part of the Argun, Daryal, Dzheyrakh and other gorges. In the author's opinion, the ancient ethnonyms of Tsobs and Arzov are preserved in the names of the Vainakh societies ortskoi and orstkhoi, in one of the designations of the Batsbians – cIova, as well as in the names orkhustoy // orstkhoi from the Nart epic of the Ingush and Chechens. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that this article presents the original version of the etymology of the ethnonym "dzurdzuki". The author outlined promising directions for further research on this issue.

Keywords: Durdzuks, tsanars, The Ortskoevites, orsthoevtsy, Orchestonians, tsov, arzy, tsarziata, ayrsthoy, migration

Abstract: The article examines the relationship between emperor Aurelian (270–275 AD) and the Roman Senate, which by the 3rd century AD had lost its leading political role but retained significant political and economic influence. Special attention is paid to Aurelian’s measures aimed at consolidating and centralizing power, which directly affected the interests of the senatorial class and the capital’s aristocracy as a whole. The study analyzes the emperor’s dual strategy -combining repressive measures (executions, purges) with attempts to maintain dialogue with the aristocratic elite (consultations, appointments of senators to key positions). A key focus is the circumstances of Aurelian’s assassination during preparations for a campaign against Persia, in which, according to ancient historical accounts, senators played an active role. The research is based on an analysis of classical narrative and numismatic sources, supplemented by modern scholarship. Comparative-historical and critical methods are applied. The article argues that the strengthening of imperial power inevitably led to conflict with the Senate, which predetermined the brevity of Aurelian’s reign. At the same time, it significantly revises traditional portrayals of Aurelian as an excessively brutal and authoritarian ruler. The study demonstrates that Aurelian sought peaceful coexistence and compromise with the capital’s nobility. His reign vividly illustrates the tension between the necessity of strong imperial authority in the 3rd century AD and the aristocracy’s struggle to preserve its privileges. Aurelian’s assassination resulted from a complex interplay between senatorial opposition and military elites. The circumstances of the subsequent election of Tacitus as emperor in Rome provide evidence of the Senate’s active involvement in the conspiracy.

Keywords: Aurelian, emperor Tacitus, Felicissimus, Claudius Gothicus, Roman Senate, revolt of the monetales, prodigia, Roman Empire, Crisis of the Third Century, ancient Rome

Abstract: The article is devoted to the process of evolution of the presidency during the tenure of Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909). The subject of the study includes political views of the 26th President of the United States, as well as his actions as head of state. Special attention is paid to the genesis of the ideological views of Theodore Roosevelt and the analysis of his states of the union addresses, including personal correspondence concerning domestic political issues. The practical steps of the politician that contributed to the transformation of the role of the US president in the system of checks and balances that had developed by the beginning of the 20th century were studied in detail. Thanks to this, it was found out that during the Roosevelt years, the head of state began to transform from an executor of congressional directives into an initiator of a political course. The methodological basis of our work is based on the principles of historicism and objectivism, as well as the problem-chronological approach used to study the "square deal" reforms. In addition, the comparative method was used to study the changes in political philosophy of Theodore Roosevelt during the first and second presidential terms. Being a supporter of strong executive power, the president, during his first term, took measures to combat trusts and for the first time in the US history acted as a mediator in a labor conflict. During his second term, his domestic policy took final shape in the form of "square deal" reforms. They provided for strengthening the regulatory functions of the federal government in relation to labor and capital by expanding the powers of the Interstate Commerce Commission. Moreover, the president was involved in legislative work to protect consumer rights and did not hesitate to apply his executive orders to protect national natural monuments. To sum up, the author comes to the conclusion that all these transformations assumed, on the one hand, the strengthening of the powers of the executive authorities as opposed to the legislative and judicial, and on the other, contributed to the emergence of a "strong presidency" capable, in accordance with the views of Roosevelt, to deal with the challenges of industrial society.

Keywords: president Theodore Roosevelt, imperial presidency, progressive era, square deal, trust-busting, consumer protection, labor arbitration, conservation of natural resources, Hepburn Act, a system of checks and balances

Abstract: This article is dedicated to a comparative analysis of the investment activity of the United States of America and the Russian Federation in the critical infrastructure of the South Caucasus from 2010 to 2025. The author examines energy, transport, and digital corridors as tools for consolidating the influence of great powers and applies panel regression and event-study methods to identify the relationship between "investment shocks" and armed incidents. It has been found that an increase in the share of American capital by 10 percentage points is associated with a 4.2% decrease in the number of clashes, whereas a similar increase in the Russian share leads to a 3.9% rise in conflict. The article offers a three-scenario forecast until 2030 and recommendations to reduce infrastructure risks. It employs panel regression with fixed effects, event-study for key infrastructure "shocks," the Mann-Whitney test, and Markov switching scenario modeling, which allowed for the identification of a causal relationship between the structure of investments and armed incidents. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the fact that, for the first time in the South Caucasus, three types of infrastructure—energy, transport, and digital—are integrated into a single panel database, where each object is digitized by quarters from 2010 to 2025. This has empirically shown that the "structure" of the investor, rather than just the amount of capital, determines the dynamics of conflict: a 10 percentage point increase in the share of the USA statistically reduces the number of armed incidents, while a comparable increase in the Russian share, on the contrary, increases the risk of clashes. The work also identifies an institutional factor: DFC loans with an ESG filter tend to be more resilient to sanction shocks than intergovernmental loans from the Russian Federation. Scenario Markov modeling demonstrates that the launch of TANAP-2 and the Digital Silk Way can reinforce a "US-lead" regime, while the completion of the northern segment of the "North-South" corridor increases the likelihood of a "RU-lead." The findings deepen the understanding of geoeconomic competition, confirming its direct impact on security, and form practical recommendations for diversifying corridors and reducing path dependence.

Keywords: South Caucasus, geoeconomics, critical infrastructure, corridor, United States, Russia, pipeline, railway, optics, conflict

Abstract: The article addresses the issue of the development of French cinema, from its inception to the emergence of the "new wave." The subject of the study is the evolution of French cinema during this period (key cinematic epochs – from silent films to "new wave" films, the work of famous directors, the creation of new genres – comedies, dramas, westerns, musicals). The aim of the research is to analyze how external political pressure and cultural exchanges influenced French filmmakers and cinematic trends. To achieve this, the author emphasizes the interaction between politics and artistic expression, as well as examines the stages of formation and establishment of French cinema and the main achievements of cinematic art in France. The article demonstrates that not only the continuous development of national culture but also external political factors played a role in shaping the stylistic and thematic development of French cinema, culminating in the innovative movement of the "new wave," which challenged traditional cinematic conventions and reflected contemporary socio-political realities. The work is based on the principles of analysis and synthesis, with a methodological foundation that employs a comparative-historical method, relying on film analysis, archival research, and contextual political analysis to uncover the interconnections between the political climate and the development of cinema. The research offers a new perspective by examining the nuances of the influence of Soviet and American political ideologies and cultures on French cinema – an area that has been little studied in the existing literature. Furthermore, the novelty of the work lies in the consistent analysis of the genre characteristics of French cinema, which change according to the historical period. The results of the study may be useful for researching French cinema, as well as the interconnections between political context and national culture. The conclusions of the article emphasize that French cinema acted not only as an actively developing area of culture, despite the upheavals of the 20th century, but also as a peculiar mirror reflecting key events on the international stage and presenting France's main partners – the USSR and the USA – in a new light.

Keywords: history of cinema, French cinema, France, USA, Soviet Union, belle epoque, cold war, cultural ties, new wave, de Gaulle

Abstract: The purpose of this article is a historical study of the contribution of the Berdyansk Zemstvo, an innovative body of public self-government in post-reform Russia at that time, to solving administrative, economic, and socio-cultural issues of the county and the entire Tauride province, and to developing skills to involve the peasantry, merchants, and the mixed class in local government. The subject of the study was the analysis of the results of changes in the local government system in terms of taking into account the needs of people living in the territory of the county and the city. The author examines in detail the contribution of his predecessors to the source study and historiography of the issue. Special attention is paid to the practical significance of the research, which is seen in the use of specific historical knowledge about approaches, methods and algorithms for solving economic and social problems by zemstvos in state and municipal management of the region's development at the present stage. In the study, the author uses a number of specific methods of historical analysis: the actualization method, which involves taking into account past historical experience and predicting its use in modern regional development management; a statistical method in which the author examines the mention in the local press and statistical collections of data related to the study of problems of local self-government in Berdyansk county. The main conclusions of the study are the provisions that, based on the example of the history of the Berdyansk Zemstvo, we can talk about significant progress in solving managerial tasks at the local government level; about gaining experience that is still in demand today in various areas of public life. The author's special contribution is to examine the activities of the Berdyansk Zemstvo in the last third of the 19th century in the development of the county from various perspectives: enriching the practice of local government; the nomination and implementation of valuable initiatives aimed at the development of the city

Keywords: Zemstvo reform, local self-government bodies, social tasks, innovations in management, health care, education, provincial zemstvo institutions, county zemstvo institutions, curia categories of voters, electors of zemstvos

Abstract: The article focuses on the history of the Kuzminki estate (also known as Vlakhernskoye), and the challenges of virtual 3D reconstruction of its main house interiors, which were lost in a fire in 1916. This estate, founded in the early 18th century, was owned by the Stroganov family and later by the Golitsyn family, and is a prominent example of Russian manorial culture from the classical era. In the 19th century, the estate gained the reputation of the "Russian Versailles," but later fell into decline and was partially destroyed. The aim of the research is to systematically organize knowledge about the estate's architectural development, with a particular focus on the interiors of the main building, and to identify chronological stages for virtual reconstruction. The study examines various sources, such as inventories of property, lithographs, photos, drawings, and historical literature dedicated to the estate. The research methodology includes general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, and comparison), as well as special historical methods (historical-genetic and historical-comparative), and source-based methods (source-based analysis and textual analysis). As a result of this work, based on a collected source base, the main stages of the construction, reconstruction, and restoration of the buildings in the Kuzminki estate have been analyzed. For the first time, attention has been paid to the architectural features of the central building, the interior of which will be reconstructed in a virtual 3D environment. This is the main manor house, and the interior of the round ballroom, located on the central axis of the manor complex. Based on the analysis of available sources, two potential time periods for virtual reconstruction have been identified: the late 19th century (original imperial interiors) and the early 20th century (suburban use). These periods correspond to the situation where manor items were dispersed from noble estates during the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. This necessitates a hybrid approach in creating a virtual 3D reconstruction of the central hall of the Kuzminki estate's main house. The results of this work are part of my dissertation research and have the potential to be used in restoration projects and digital initiatives aimed at preserving cultural heritage.

Keywords: Kuzminki manor, classicism, virtual reconstruction, historical interiors, architectural heritage, Golitsyns, 3D-modeling, Empire style, digitization of cultural heritage, methods

Abstract: The subject of this article is the gradual dismantling of the higher communist education system that took place in the USSR in the 1930s. During the period of profound reorganization (and liquidation), the vast majority of leading centers of "Marxist science" underwent changes: the Communist University of the Toiling East (KUTV), the International Lenin School (MLS), the University of the Toiling People of China, and others. The Communist University of National Minorities of the West (KUNMZ), which provided educational training for Soviet and foreign students in 17 European languages, was no exception in this regard. In 1936, according to a resolution of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, the university was disbanded. In this article, relying on significant archival materials (funds 529 and 531 of the Russian State Archive of Socio-Political History), the author examines the circumstances preceding the liquidation of national communist universities. Methodologically, the work is based on the comparison of various types of historical sources (office documentation, party documents, personal origin sources) with the aim of a comprehensive reconstruction of objective historical reality. The author's main contribution to the study of the topic is the reconstruction of specific historical events that affected the activities of communist educational institutions in the second half of the 1930s: the transformation of communist universities into higher agricultural schools in 1932, the exclusion of national communist universities from the list of all-Union educational institutions, university audits by the Central Control Commission, and so on. The author has thoroughly analyzed the preconditions that led the Soviet leadership to the decision to reorganize the process of training national personnel: changes in the vector of foreign policy, the desire for unification of the educational process, deep changes in the national policy of the communist party. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the reconstruction of poorly studied aspects of the activities of communist universities and the introduction of a significant body of unpublished materials into circulation.

Keywords: KUNMZ, KUTV, M. Frumkina, Comintern, ICCI, International Lenin School, national minorities, Y. Markhlevsky, history of the USSR, Stalinism

Abstract: The subject of the research is a curious and endemic phenomenon such as the republican structure of the Novgorod Republic, which existed in the northwest of Rus from the 12th to the 15th centuries. The nature of republicanism and even, according to some assessments, Novgorod democracy, is a question that has occupied researchers for more than one generation. To explain the reasons for the emergence of such a unique socio-political system, it has traditionally been necessary to seek analogies in the lives of other medieval city-states, ancient poleis, as well as communities in the stage of "tribal democracy." This work is dedicated to comparing the republican structure of the Novgorod Republic with similar institutions of pre-state communities, as well as their social structure, evolution, dynamics of political development, the nature of the struggle between various factions for power, and the historical context of political transformations. The most appropriate method in this case is the use of broad historical comparison, where a massive cluster of historical material is employed to reveal the nature of the emergence of similar republican polities. Throughout the article, it becomes clear that the main forms of political organization of society, such as monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy, have been inherent to humanity at all "stages" of its development, from the "primitive" tribal structure and the Middle Ages to the present day. Many processes, such as the evolution of a monarchical state into oligarchy or democracy, while essentially analogous, can also be triggered by similar causes. This allows for a re-examination of the approach to studying the history of the emergence of the Novgorod Republic, recognizing the productivity of applying the method of broad comparison in historical research, and making key assumptions regarding the reasons for the emergence of republican power institutions in the northwest of Rus in the first half of the 12th century. It is found that the most probable reason for the emergence of the republican model of power is the increase in volume and significance of external trade—a factor that can be traced in all the polities considered (including "tribal") that made the transition from a monarchical to a republican and democratic model of political organization.

Keywords: Veliky Novgorod, republic, democracy, tribe, oligarchy, monarchy, Tlingit, Miami, Iroquois, Circassians