The "Southern Vector" of the Geostrategy of the Russian Federation in the Modern Global and Eurasian Context: Systemic Factors of Actualization

Russia, due to its positional and structural specifics, is able to successfully and sustainably develop as a leading Eurasian power only on the basis of building a multi-vector geostrategy, including the mandatory "southern component". The article identifies the "southern vector" of Russia's spatial development, shows its priority role at certain historical stages of the formation of the Russian state, substantiates the systemic factors (planetary, regional, local) of the "turn" of the Russian Federation to the South by the beginning of the XXI century (including the need for increased interaction with neighboring states, primarily post–Soviet ones), delimits and socio-economic parameterization of the "southern" territories of Russia, emphasizes their cross-border determinants and characteristics. Is substantiated the necessity of activation of Russian "southern" research, including within the framework of the proposed new research direction – Geostrategic Russian Southern studies.