Policy of optimizing the intraregional space of the Russian Federation: issues of asymmetrical federalism and spatial development

The article examines the policy of optimizing the intraregional space of the Russian Federation in the context of issues of asymmetrical federalism and spatial development. The relevance of this topic stems from the persistent disparities in the socio-economic development of Russia’s regions and the historically entrenched asymmetry in their politico-legal status. The Introduction substantiates the importance of researching balanced regional development and overcoming the consequences of asymmetrical federalism. The “Materials and Methods” section describes the sources used (scholarly publications, legal acts, statistical data) and the approaches applied (historical-political analysis, institutional comparison, elements of regional statistical analysis). The “Discussion” section provides a literature review: it highlights key works on the formation and adaptation of asymmetrical federalism in Russia, as well as domestic and foreign researchers’ approaches to problems of territorial development. The “Results” section analyzes the evolution of Russia’s regional policy from the 1990s to the present – from the signing of the Federative Treaty in 1992 to the adoption of the Spatial Development Strategy before 2036. It shows that the federal center has taken steps to unify federal relations (abolishing certain region-specific agreements, merging smaller regions), while simultaneously attempting to equalize levels of territorial development. Data is presented demonstrating the continuing wide divergence of regions on key indicators (for example, the gap in gross regional product per capita between the most and least developed subjects exceeds 60-fold). The Spatial Development Strategy is considered as a modern tool of optimization, however its inherent shortcomings are noted (focus on supporting agglomerations at the expense of periphery, etc.). In conclusion, the findings are summarized: despite a formal reduction in the asymmetry of federalism, the problems of spatial development necessitate a sustained adaptive policy that takes into account regional differentiation and ensures a balance between the country’s unity and its territorial diversity.

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