Abstract:

The urgency of the research stems from studying the processes taking place in cross-border regions of the Russian Federation and ever-increasing impact of their neighbourhood with near and far abroad countries. Studies in the field of structural changes in economic sectors of Russian cross-border territories are assuming particular importance due to increasing geopolitical influence and economic cooperation. Thus, the paper considers the peculiarities of structural changes taking place in sectoral structure of cross-border territories economy during 10 years. The purpose of the study is the assessment of tendencies connected with changing the sectoral production structure of border territories of the Russian Federation from 2006 to 2016. The study was based on the following methodology: 1) defining the production specialization of 50 cross-border subjects of the Russian Federation by means of calculating the coefficient of production specialization and the criteria of mono-specialization and poly-specialization of these regions; 2) analysing the changes in the sectoral production structure of cross-border regions with the help of the system for indicators of sectoral and cross-sectoral shifts; 3) defining the tendencies of changing sectoral production structure in cross-border territories of the Russian Federation. The study revealed the following results: а) the structure of cross-border regions according to their specialization (mono-specialization, poly-specialization); b) sectors of production specialization which are in the focus of mono-specialized regions’ production (agriculture, hunting and forestry as well as mining operations); c) more dynamic sectoral structure of mono-specialized regions targeted at mining operations; d) more intensive period of structural changes in relation to mono-specialized regions (2006–2011); e) a complex of structural policy measures should be aimed at the diversification of sectoral structure of border regions.