The article examines the spatial characteristics of economic security in enclave and exclave territories as a distinct type of region characterised by territorial fragmentation, institutional dependence, and constrained economic connectivity. The relevance of this work is driven by increasing geopolitical instability, growing cross-border restrictions, and the increased vul­nerability of enclaves to external shocks and crises. A comparative analysis of a sample of enclave (exclave) territories identifies key conditions for their economic securi­ty, including financial support from the “mother state”, transportation accessibility, and the specifics of their economic regimes. It is shown that these factors play a compensating role but do not eliminate structural constraints to development. The paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding the distinctive nature of economic security in enclave and ex­clave territories through a system of attributes that capture their dual role as both sources of opportunities and sources of constraints. The “enclave effect” is substantiated, manifesting itself in increased vulnerability, dependence on external conditions, and the formation of per­sistent structural imbalances. Using the Kaliningrad region as an example, the spatial chara­cteristics of eco­nomic security are revealed, allowing for consideration of regional specifics when developing sustainable development strategies. The study concludes that it is necessary to assess the spatial characteristics of enclave (exclave) economic security when developing a strategy for ensuring it and substantiating an economic development model. The study’s results expand the theoretical understanding of regional economic security and have practical implications for public policy.

For the first time in Russian academic discourse, the article examines strategic assessments of the Baltic region’s role in Poland’s contemporary security policy, drawing on institutional and situational analysis as well as elements of scenario modelling. These assessments serve as the basis for military and diplomatic initiatives and adjustments to strategic planning in the deve­lopment and modernisation of the armed forces. Building on strategic foreign and se­curity policy documents, a corpus of legislative acts, and statements by Poland’s political and military leadership, the author reconstructs the hierarchy of priorities underpinning Poland’s contemporary security policy. The findings reveal a marked increase in the significance of the Baltic region within Poland’s security policy since the escalation of the international political crisis in 2022. This trend is reflected in the systematic adaptation of state institutions to the prospect of conducting autonomous operations in the Baltic region. Consistent efforts have been undertaken to strengthen national defence capabilities, with particular emphasis on the de­velopment of a regional Baltic security architecture. The study contributes to a deeper under­standing of subregional security dynamics in the Baltic Sea region and has practical relevance for foreign and security policy planning institutions in the Russian Federation.

Freedom of navigation and the peaceful use of maritime spaces are among the most complex issues in contemporary international maritime law, as they involve the interests of states, economic actors, and international organisations. These issues have gained particular relevance in the twenty-first century in the context of growing geopolitical tensions and the increasing use of hybrid methods in interstate confrontation. Their consequences are especially evident in the Baltic Sea, where incidents involving damage to underwater infrastructure, acts of sabotage, vessel detentions, and restrictions affecting navigation and economic activity have become increasingly frequent. This article aims to examine the legal nature of restrictions on navigation and economic activities in the Baltic Sea and to identify possible legal approaches to overcoming them. To achieve this objective, the authors analyse the international legal framework governing maritime space, freedom of navigation, and economic activity at sea. Particular attention is paid to the assessment of incidents involving vessel detentions and damage to underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea, as well as to the legal implications of these developments for the exercise of navigational rights and maritime economic activities. The study concludes that, despite the unprecedented level of political tension in the region, the law of the sea remains the principal legal framework governing navigation and economic activity in the Baltic Sea. It continues to provide the normative basis for balancing the interests of coastal states and other users of maritime spaces and remains the primary mechanism for regulating maritime relations in the region.

The article examines the formation and evolution of the U.S. policy toward Greenland between 1941 and 1968. The purpose of the study is to identify how Greenland’s place in American foreign policy and defence planning evolved over time, as well as to determine the role of interagency coordination in shaping Washington’s policy toward Greenland. The research is based on declassified archival materials from U.S. foreign policy, intelligence, and military agencies, many of which are introduced into scholarly circulation for the first time. These materials make it possible to trace the relationship between U.S. strategic objectives, the dynamics of bilateral relations with Denmark, and the development of Arctic infrastructure. The study finds that Greenland’s significance for the United States gradually extended beyond the requirements of local defence and became part of a broader strategy of containing the Soviet Union. It demonstrates that, at different stages, Washington combined diplomatic flexibility with a persistent commitment to maintaining a long-term military presence on the island. Particular attention is paid to the changing functions of American military infrastructure in Greenland as nuclear strategy, delivery systems, and early-warning capabilities evolved. The article concludes that U.S. policy toward Greenland was shaped not by a single factor but by a combination of strategic, diplomatic, and institutional interests. It further argues that the crisis surrounding the American military presence in 1968, triggered by the crash of a U.S. bomber carrying nuclear weapons, revealed the limitations of the previous model of bilateral cooperation.

The European migration crisis has emerged as one of the key challenges for Sweden, a country long known for its liberal stance toward refugees and asylum seekers. The large-scale influx of asylum seekers exposed vulnerabilities in the national reception system, aggravated issues of social integration, and contributed to the growing criminalisation of migrant communities. The study aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of Sweden’s migration policy since 2015, viewed in the context of EU-wide reforms and domestic demands for stronger security measures. The methodological framework draws on systemic and comparative approaches. The empirical foundation is based on Statistics Sweden data on the number of asylum seekers, legislative acts, and analytical reports. Over the past decade, Sweden has shifted the focus of its migration policy, moving from a primarily humanitarian orientation toward refugees and asylum seekers to a pragmatic approach that combines restrictive measures with integration initiatives. Among the tools employed by the Swedish authorities to reduce migration flows are stricter asylum regulations, the expansion of readmission, voluntary and forced return programs, broader grounds and longer durations for entry bans in cases of deportation, and the establishment of infrastructure for reception and return centers. The analysis demonstrates that these reforms have reduced Sweden’s attractiveness to migrants and increased control over migration flows; however, they have not resolved the long-term challenges of social integration and territorial segregation of migrants, which remain highly relevant in the country.

International cooperation in tourism generates a wide range of political, economic, social, and cultural benefits for participating countries and increasingly serves as a driver of sustainable development. At the same time, the further expansion of international tourism cooperation requires the modernisation of Russia’s tourism industry, accompanied by improvements in workforce development and the professional training of personnel capable of delivering high-quality tourism services. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of international cooperation on labour demand in the tourism sector and identify approaches to addressing workforce shortages. The research draws on official statistical data, sample surveys, expert assessments, comparative analysis, and cluster analysis. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening labour-saving strategies through the wider use of flexible forms of employment, including platform-based and project-based work, as key instruments for regulating employment in the tourism sector under conditions of labour market shortages. The proposed approach also includes measures aimed at improving employee retention and expanding the use of labour-saving digital technologies, particularly in labour-intensive segments of the tourism industry, such as hospitality and food services.

The article addresses a pressing methodological issue in regional studies related to overcoming reductionism and constructing a comprehensive profile of a region. Modern regional studies, as a transdisciplinary field of knowledge, faces challenges in providing a coherent description of regional space, often fragmented by the approaches of various scientific disciplines. This research aims to develop a methodological framework for analysing regions based on the principles of Manuel DeLanda’s assemblage theory. The authors adapt the core concepts of assemblage theory — the exteriority of relations, the heterogeneity of components, emergence, and contingent necessity — to the conceptualisation of the region. As a key analytical toolkit, the article proposes examining the region through the lens of four dimensions of an assemblage: the axes of materiality–expressivity, territorialisation–deterritorialisation, coding–decoding, and connectivity–segmentation. Additionally, temporal characteristics of a region’s existence, such as the relative duration of events and their relative stability, are taken into account. The main result is an operational protocol for constructing an assemblage profile of the region, which allows for the empirical identification of (re)assembly episodes. The protocol establishes minimum data requirements, integration procedures, and criteria for identifying and recording change. It is concluded that the application of the assemblage approach makes it possible to overcome the essentialism of traditional social science, offers a holistic understanding of the region as a socio-spatial phenomenon, and opens new avenues for transdisciplinary regional studies.

This study provides a comparative analysis of digital corporate reporting in the Baltic States within the institutional and technological context of the European Union’s (EU) digital trans­formation. The research methodology is based on a comparative institutional approach and incorporates the analysis of international statistical data, as well as correlation and discri­minant analyses. The institutional dimension of digital transformation is represented by the E-Government Development Index (EGDI), while the technological dimension is measured through the adoption of cloud computing technologies and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems at the enterprise level. The results indicate that, although the Baltic States be­nefit from relatively favourable institutional conditions for digitalisation, they exhibit substan­tial differences in the digitalisation of business processes and the development of digital cor­porate reporting. A statistically significant positive relationship was identified between EGDI scores and the use of structured forms of digital corporate reporting across EU countries (τ = 0.571; p < 0.001), as well as between the adoption of cloud computing technologies and the prevalence of such reporting forms (τ = 0.515; p = 0.002). The results of the discriminant analysis demonstrate the strong classification performance of the proposed model, which as­signs EU countries to groups with relatively high and low levels of digital corporate reporting development, with an accuracy ranging from 85.2 to 88.9 %. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development and empirical validation of an integrated model that conceptualises digital corporate reporting as an outcome of the interaction between the institutional and technological conditions of digital transformation. It also provides a comparative assessment of the Baltic States within the broader European context .