Kolomna in the Third Quarter of the 18^th Century. Note by F. A. Osterman

Abstract. The reforms of Catherine II, undertaken in the second half of the 18^th century, are of significant importance not only for history but also for source studies. The preparation and implementation of these extensive transformations involved an unprecedented amount of work, resulting in a substantial body of documents that allow us to examine the phenomenon of the pre-reform Russian city. A notable example of the urban system and its evolution is the city of Kolomna in the Moscow region.
The paper provides an assessment of Kolomna, a district administrative center, as a distinct functional type of city that existed within the urban network of Russia during the late Medieval and early Modern periods. It highlights the peculiarities and paradoxes of the administrative status of this city and its socio-economic potential in the lead-up to the reforms of Catherine II. The author evaluates the city as an example of a distinct type of urban settlement of exceptional importance (a ‘first-tier’ city) that was not, however, included in the list of administrative centres of that level.
The study introduces into scientific circulation a source: a description of Kolomna, compiled by order of F.A. Osterman, the Governor of Moscow Province, during the preparation of the region for large-scale transformations (the provincial reform, the urban social reform, and the municipal reform). This description was sent to Empress Catherine II in 1775, who formed her understanding of the potential and developmental characteristics of this city partly on the basis of the document. The article describes the specific origins of this published historical source, its place among similar materials, and its information potential.
Keywords: Kolomna, urban network, city functions, city reform of Catherine II, provincial reform of Catherine II.

The Use of Military Statistics in the Study of the Population of the County Towns of the Moscow Province in the Middle of the 19^th Century

Abstract. The article examines the role of departmental statistical sources, military records in particular, in regional historical studies concerning the condition of provinces, cities, and settlements of the Russian Empire in the mid-19^th century. Among the departmental publications of this kind, the “Military Statistical Reviews”, compiled by the General Staff of the War Ministry in the 1840s–1850s, possess a significant source potential. The study of the historiography of the subject reveals an absence of scientific works dedicated to analyzing military statistical data in relation to county towns.
The materials of the “Military-Statistical Review” on the Moscow province, introduced into scientific circulation, made it possible: a) to identify the population of the province as a whole, as well as urban settlements; b) to study the population dynamics (birth to death ratio); c) to consider the social estate composition; and d) to investigate the confessional composition of the population in county towns.
The county towns of the province were predominantly small, with a population of up to 5,000 people. Among the towns, Kolomna and Serpukhov stood out, with a population of over 12,000. The two- to three-fold difference was due to the specific socio-economic development and territorial distribution of the urban settlements. A study of the social composition revealed the predominantly bourgeois nature of the towns in the Moscow province. The representation of merchants in the towns varied from 10 to 20% of the total number of citizens; in Kolomna and Serpukhov, merchants who made money selling salt and livestock were the most numerous. The appeal to the confessional composition of the counties of the province showed that representatives of other religions – Ancient Orthodox (Old Believers), Catholics, Lutherans, Muslims, Jews – lived here, with the absolute predominance of Orthodox. Most non-Orthodox believers (except for the Old Believers) were recorded in urban settlements, where they engaged in trade, crafts, and various industries.
Keywords: Moscow Province, county towns, population, social estate composition, religious (confessional) composition.

Prehistory of the Moscow Metro: A School of Technological Renewal

Abstract. The article is dedicated to the anniversary of the opening of the Moscow Metro. It explores the prehistory of the start of its construction, which is often overshadowed by the subsequent remarkable achievements of the early metro builders. The author conducts research in several interconnected areas, which, when combined, allowed the plans for the creation of a metro in the capital of the USSR to be translated into reality. First, the article examines the trends of Moscow’s transformation into a major modern metropolis with a large population, which naturally required the creation of a modern urban infrastructure. It also considers the development of Moscow as Russia’s largest transport hub, exploring the specific features of railway connections with other cities and between districts within the capital itself. This approach is justified by the fact that, in the first third of the 20th century, Moscow became a transit and transfer centre. Finally, the article traces the history of the ideological search among politicians, engineers, and scientists who, over the years, proposed their own solutions to the city’s transport development issues. The author concludes that the creation of the Moscow metro was determined not only by social needs and technical feasibility, but also by the strong political will of the country’s leadership, which was supported by the enthusiasm of its citizens.

Keywords: Moscow metro, social image, anniversary, industrialization, Metrostroy, workers, youth, artel, Komsomol, first five-year plans, construction.

On the Creation of a Model of a Dictionary of Phraseological Units Describing Non-Verbal Components of Communication

Abstract. The article presents a model dictionary of phraseological units describing the non-verbal components of communication in English-speaking countries. The work aims to create a teaching manual and a reference guide reflecting the interaction of linguistic and non-verbal means of expression in communication, based on an integrated description of linguistic units and the principles of systemic lexicography. The methodology includes a comparative analysis of verbal and non-verbal semiotic systems, as well as the use of the principles of external consistency between sign and natural language systems developed by Yu. D. Apresyan and G. E. Kreidlin. The dictionary corpus will include approximately 300 phraseological units covering various types of non-verbal communication components, such as gestures, facial expressions, postures, body movements, and vocal and respiratory signals. The research results primarily in the development of the dictionary’s macro- and microstructure, including a detailed description of each unit: nomination, physical execution, accompanying non-verbal communication components, interpretation, conditions of use, single-word characteristics, accompanying verbal remarks and temporizers, encyclopedic information, and illustrative examples. Particular attention is paid to data verification through observation of native speakers’ non-verbal communicative behavior and analysis of literary texts. The applications of the dictionary include English language teaching, linguistic research, and the practical activities of non-verbal communication specialists. The findings highlight the dictionary’s importance as a universal tool for studying and understanding non-verbal behavior in English-speaking culture, contributing to the expansion of intercultural communication and the effectiveness of language education. The dictionary promotes a deeper understanding of the cultural and social aspects of non-verbal communication, which is especially important in the context of globalization and expanding international contacts. The model dictionary allows for further expansion and adaptation to other linguistic and cultural communities, opening up prospects for interdisciplinary research and practical application in various fields, from teacher training to intercultural management

Keywords: phraseological units, non-verbal communication, lexicography, body language, explanatory dictionary, integral description of the language, semantic derivatives, intercultural communication

Discourse Markers ‘Takzhe’ and ‘Tozhe’ in the Structure of a Complex Sentence

Abstract. The article substantiates the classification of the words ‘takzhe’ and ‘tozhe’ as part of the discursive vocabulary and aims to demonstrate their specific functions as cohesive devices within the structure of a subordinate clause. The relevance of the research is determined by the general focus on discourse markers, which perform important textual and pragmatic functions; the uncertainty surrounding the morphological status of the words ‘takzhe’ and ‘tozhe’, and the necessity to describe their interaction with subordinating connective devices. The source of the factual material is the data from the Russian National Corpus. The methods employed for analysis include structural-semantic analysis, contextual analysis, and the method of transformational substitution. The article demonstrates that the words ‘takzhe’ and ‘tozhe’ serve as connectors both between autonomous parts of a complex sentence and between sentences in a text, which is typical of coordinating conjunctions. These discourse markers express the meaning of appending additional, non-commenting information. Due to their genetic link with demonstrative pronouns, the conjunctions ‘takzhe’ and ‘tozhe’ signal the presence in the preceding context of information that is reproduced in the part they introduce as already known. A characteristic feature of the discourse markers ‘takzhe’ and ‘tozhe’ is their use in combination with subordinating conjunctions and conjunctive words within a subordinate clause, where they serve as a means of introducing information that is additional to what is already present and establish a structural-semantic connection between the subordinate clause and the preceding part of the text. In this case, syntactic syncretism can be observed: in a complex sentence, both the subordinating connection of the subordinate clause to the main clause and the coordinating connection of the subordinate clause to a fragment of the preceding text are realized simultaneously. The word ‘takzhe’ can also introduce additional new information. In this case, it expresses the meaning ‘and also, in addition’, which is characteristic of an adverb. The author concludes that the discourse markers ‘tozhe’ and, especially, ‘takzhe’ are characterized by mobility on the scale “adverb – conjunction – emphatic particle” with a general functional proximity to a coordinating conjunction.
Keywords: discourse markers, coordinating conjunction, subordinate clause, theme and rheme, syncretism.

Intertextuality as a Means of the Actualization of the Category of the Comic (on the Material of English Animation Discourse)

Abstract. The article views the functional potential of intertextual elements in contemporary animation discourse. Interest in exploring this issue stems from such distinctive features of contemporary art as conceptual density, combination of several discourse types, and the search of the most effective pragmatic means. That leads to a synthesis of verbal and nonverbal means, i.e. a variety of codes that facilitate the processes of generating and perceiving the meaning by communicants. Animation discourse, as a special type of polycode discourse, represents a complex phenomenon in terms of sociolinguistics and linguistic cultural studies. Such features of animation discourse as global distribution, impact on the conceptual sphere of a wide audience, and diversity of social functions make it the object of research examining cultural transfer in time and space.
This article explores the intertextual elements of animation discourse using the American animated series with adult rating “Rick and Morty” as a source of empiric material. The study demonstrates the multifunctional nature of intertextuality as a mechanism for realizing the category of comic in animation discourse. The following functions of intertextual elements are considered: characterizing, interpretative, communicative, expressive, metatextual, socio-cultural functions, the function of structural-semantic organization of the text, the function of genre continuity, the function of imitation. Stylistic devices (both verbal and non-verbal) implemented through intertextual elements and aimed at actualizing the category of the comic in this type of discourse were identified. The study proves a high intertextual density in contemporary humorous animation discourse. The acquired results can be used in the courses on text interpretation, stylistics, semiotics, and cultural studies.
Keywords: animation discourse, polycode text, intertextual element, functions of intertextuality.

Conference Proceedings*

“Nikita P. Gilyarov-Platonov – Thinker, Theologian, Writer”.

On the 200^th Anniversary of N. Gilyarov-Platonov’s Birth

“He was the Epitome of an Idea in All”.

N. Gilyarov-Platonov about K. Aksakov

*For previous publications of the conference materials, see: “Bulletin of the State University of Humanities and Social Studies”. 2025. No. 3 (59). pp. 65–81 and No. 4 (60). pp. 64–73.
Abstract. An unknown review by N.P. Gilyarov-Platonov (‘Sovremennye Izvestiya’, 1876, February 26) of the second volume of K.S. Aksakov’s works, published in 1875, is introduced into scientific circulation. The author of the review summarizes his long-standing ties with the Slavophiles. The volume under review collected K.S. Aksakov’s works on philology, which prompted Gilyarov to return to his own linguistic research. Here, for the first time, he publicly announced the fundamental research of Russian verbs that he is developing (which has reached us only in part). The reviewer agrees with K.S. Aksakov on some points, while contesting his views on others. Both authors concur that grammar is the “mind” of the language, the expression of the spirit of the people, but they approach this statement from different angles. The collected and republished works of K. Aksakov pushed the former colleague to publicly dissociate himself from the Slavophiles.
Keywords: Slavophilism, K. Aksakov, N. Gilyarov-Platonov, A. Khomyakov, internal polemic, grammar of the Russian language, philosophy of Hegel.

A Unified Platform for Assessing the Sustainable Development of Russian Regions: Motivating Regions, Analyzing Systems, and Designing a Model

Abstract. The article investigates the problem of data fragmentation in assessing the sustainable development of Russian regions, caused by methodological incompatibility, lack of disaggregated indicators, and low adaptability of existing state, academic, and corporate platforms. A direct relationship is proven between data quality and investment attractiveness of territories, access to “green” financing, and the effectiveness of managing sanctions risks. As a solution, an architecture for a unified integration platform is proposed, combining institutional, methodological, and technological innovations. Key elements include: a system of economic incentives for regions linking data quality to subsidy volume; adaptive weighting matrices based on machine learning; an ontological engine for harmonizing heterogeneous sources; integration of sanctions markers and ESG standards. Pilot testing confirmed the model’s potential, showing a 41% reduction in data collection costs and a 27% increase in “green” investments. The platform is positioned as an infrastructural basis for transitioning to a predictive governance model under conditions of digital sovereignty.
Keywords: sustainable regional development, integrated data platform, ESG-investments, data disaggregation, sanctions risks, machine learning, digital sovereignty, data-driven governance.

Managing Strategic Paradoxes in the Condition of Instability: How to Combine Short-Term Efficiency and Long-Term Sustainability

Abstract. The article focuses on the relationship between strategic paradox theory and modern management concepts such as dynamic capabilities, organizational ambidexterity, and integrative balancing tools. It also substantiates the need for an institutionalized combination of short-term and long-term goals. The relevance of this research stems from the fact that, in unstable environments, traditional strategic management models are unable to ensure rapid response to ongoing changes and resolve the contradictions between short-term efficiency and long-term sustainability. This requires systematizing benefits and risks while optimally balancing the hierarchy of objectives in strategy development and implementation.
The study aims to assess the prospects for introducing innovative approaches to strategic management into Russian practice. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: characterizing strategic paradoxes in unstable conditions; identifying and systematizing the competitive advantages and risks of promising approaches to strategic management; and determining ways to resolve the contradiction between a focus on short-term efficiency and the need to ensure long-term sustainability of organizational development.
The methodological basis of the study is made up of publications by Russian and foreign authors, empirical methods, and non-formalized methods of analysis.
The results of the study substantiated the need to take into account strategic paradoxes in management reality, as well as the feasibility of resolving the contradiction between short-term efficiency and long-term sustainability by applying the concepts of organizational ambidexterity, dynamic capabilities, integrative balancing tools and cognitive models.
The results obtained may be of interest to specialists of organizations dealing with issues of strategic management, as well as to representatives of the scientific community whose area of interest includes problems of strategic management.
Keywords: instability, strategic paradoxes, short-term efficiency, long-term sustainability, cognitive models, contradictions.