Border Carbon Adjustment: Implications for Russian Companies and Regions in the Context of the Russia Sanctions (the case of Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works and Chelyabinsk region)

Relevance. There are at least two serious challenges that Russian exporting companies are now facing: first, in 2021, the EU introduced the carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which will come into force in 2026, and, second, since February 2022, many exporters have been subject to the EU sanctions as part of the Russia sanctions regime. There is much uncertainty surrounding the duration of the current sanctions episode as well as the introduction of the carbon tax in the Middle Eastern and Asian countries. Research objective. The study aims to assess potential economic losses resulting from the CBAM introduction and the pressure of sanctions on the Russian exporters of metallurgical products and their home regions. The study focuses on the case of Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) and Chelyabinsk region.Data and methods. Methodologically, the study relies on scenario analysis. Two scenarios are considered: the EU sanctions against Russian steel companies will be lifted after 2024–2025 and the sanctions will not be lifted in the near future. For each scenario, two variations are analyzed and the annual economic losses are calculated both for MMK and for Chelyabinsk region. The data for the study was taken from ММК official reports.Results. If the EU sanctions are lifted in the nearest future, at the initial stages of the carbon tax introduction, the economic consequences for Russian exporters will be insignificant.  In the future, however, carbon regulation can create serious threats to the financial condition of such enterprises even if exports account for a small share of their revenue. If the EU sanctions stay in place, Russian enterprises are likely to search for trade partners in the Middle East and Asia. If the latter introduce a carbon tax, Russian companies can enjoy a competitive edge due to the comparatively low carbon intensity.Conclusions. To ensure Russian steel companies’ competitive edge, it is necessary to stimulate them to reduce their carbon footprint and create a national carbon regulation system. Not only will this measure help to reduce the loss of export income and regional governments’ tax revenues but it will also enable companies to stay competitive and deal more effectively with the sanctions pressure

Management of Migratory Exchange Taking into Account Features of Standard Regulation of Recognition / Validation and an Assessment of Qualifications Within the CIS Countries, EEU and BRICS

Legal regulation of national qualifications systems in countries-participants of the CIS, EAEU and the BRICS and the prospects for cooperation in the field of free labor-force movement within these unions, connect with the solution of problems of mutual recognition of occupation qualifications, their level of qualifications and methods of assessment within the subjects of migration transfer processes

Impurities in Animal-Derived Medicines (Relevant Issues)

The global anthropogenic load on the biosphere results in a potentially unmanageable problem of ecosystem pollution with organic and inorganic impurities, which may carry significant risks for human health. Therefore, the development and production of medicinal products from raw materials of animal origin require a careful risk-based assessment of impurities that may be found in the finished product. The aim of the study was to categorise the impurities in animal-derived medicines, identify and characterise specific impurity groups, and suggest a control methodology. The article reviews the factors that allow grouping impurities in animal-derived medicines, namely, the origin (anthropogenic or natural), type (process- or raw material-related), nature (product-related or foreign), and presence (inherent or potential impurities). The authors note the necessity of considering the specific production conditions, the origin of raw materials, and the intended use of medicinal products to determine an optimal control strategy for each impurity group and to justify the level at which a specific impurity should be controlled (the raw material, active substance, or finished product). A product’s marketing authorisation application must contain comprehensive data on the choice of the control strategy for potential impurities, including a justification of the selected control level and the established limits, details of the chosen control procedures, and risk-assessment reports

Application of scanning probe microscopy methods to control the synthesis technology of multilayer structures with Bi-substituted iron garnets

Authors present the synthesis technology in which a lower surface roughness of the layers in multilayer structure with Bi-substituted iron garnets can be achieved through simultaneous crystallization annealing of the bottom Bi-substituted iron garnet layer and the top layer of SiO2.The authors acknowledge support by the RF Ministry of Education and Science (project no.3.7126.2017)

Study of onion processing waste powder for potential use in food sector

The development of food products that contain value-added dietary fibre beside different classes of phytochemicals is of great interest nowadays. The present research aimed to evaluate the powder obtained from onion processing waste (OPW) for its potential use as a value-added by-product in food sector. Data on chemical and microbiological characterization of onion processing waste powder (OPWP) were obtained. The dietary fibre content and antioxidant activity were also determined. The results showed that the OPWP was a low-calorie natural source of insoluble fibres (60.52±0.13 g/100 g dw), total phenols (41.04±1.22 mg GAE/g dw), and total flavonoids (20.44±1.22 mg QE/g dw). Moreover, the OPWP could be considered as an important source of total fructans (9.04±0.28 g/100 g dw), fructooligosaccharides (2.76 g/100 g dw), and inulin (2.41±0.18 g/100 g dw). In conclusion, this OPWP could be used as a value-added and healthy food ingredient