Geopolitical Impact on Transformation of Territorial Organization of Russian Pipeline Transport in the Post-Soviet Time

The article presents the research on transformation of territorial organization of Russian pipeline transport in the post-Soviet time, considering its relations with neighboring countries. The research identifies general ways of such transformation: the influence of Russia's desire to escape from the dictate of the transit countries exporting energy; the impact of Russia's struggle for the transportation of gas and oil extracted in the Caspian Sea basin; the influence of the struggle for the transportation of oil and gas in the Asia-Pacific region. A new database including the main pipelines and sea ports in Russia, revealed correlations in the development of pipeline transport in the post-Soviet period with the development of infrastructure of the country's sea transport. The article identifies positive changes in the transport infrastructure (construction of Russian alternative pipeline projects), which will reduce the degree of Russian dependence on relations with neighboring countries, as well as negative changes (construction of alternative Russian pipeline projects). The attention is focused on changing geopolitical importance of neighboring to Russia states (Turkey, Kazakhstan and China) under the influence of transformation of the country pipeline transport. Keywords: geopolitics; Russia's geopolitical position; Russian pipeline transport; post-Soviet space JEL Classifications: L9, L9

Russia among the Countries of the Baltic Region

The Baltic region incorporates interactions of eight EU countries and the Russian Federation. It is composed of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, as well as the territories of Russia, Germany and Poland located on the Baltic coast. Subjects of the Russian Federation located in the Baltic region account for 16% of the territory, 20% of the population, and 15.5% of GDP. An even bigger role is of Russia at the national level among the countries of the Baltic region. It accounts for 91% of the territory, 50% of the population, 38% of GDP and 14% of foreign trade turnover of nine countries combined. New spatial forms of cooperation are being formed with Russian participation – Euroregions, cross-border clusters. International cooperation increases the global competitiveness of each of the participating countries. The development gap has decreased between more and less wealthy countries. However, in the past few years, the relationship between the EU and Russia has deteriorated. In 2014 – 2015 Russia's trade with the countries of the region decreased more than with other EU countries and the world. The mutual and social ties decreased. This is not conducive to socio-economic development of both Russia and the EU, and it is in the interest of both parties to abandon the growing confrontation. Keywords: international regionalization, Baltic region, Baltic countries, EU, Russia JEL Classifications: F15, F36, F42, F5