by a sharp fall in demand for natural resources, severance of traditional economic
ties with other regions, lack of economic occupation, and large families. In this
case the initial computation base needs a more careful approach, given that a
large portion of active population from Northen Caucasus is traditionally engagen
outside administrative borders of their spatial entities.
Now consider the third group of backward regions (characterized by satisfactory
natural conditions) where the Republic of Tyva has been outstanding in its
importance after it was incorporated in the USSR. It has ample natural
potentialities to develop such a branch of agricultural sector as live-stock farming.
Unfortunately, inadequate transport accessibility in the republic reduces the
opportunity of its active involvement in inter-regional market. The republic once
missed its chance to improve the situation with transport and hence the economy
(the opinions of its leaders then varied on the feasibility of venturing a railroad to
connect tyvawith well-developed centers of Siberia). This for many years
complicated the setting up of economic basis to secure its self-development.
The assistance will be needed by Republic of Kalmykiya, too, although its
resources potential apprears to be quite sufficient. In all probabililty the major
problem here will be to restore the natural environment balance affected due to
harmful economic activity. The expected aid may be directed to provide for the
restoration.
Of course, there is hardly any reason to go on with labelling Buryat Autonomous
Okrugs (in the territory of Chita and Irkutsk Oblast) as backward. Initial boost in the
form of federal support is a must. Afterwards an appropriate altitude on the part of
the administration of respective Oblasts would be quite enough, in particular
through agreements on cooperation in certain spheres of activity.
The situation is still more alarming in Yevreyskaya Oblast. Its main problems are
the drain of local inhabitants and loss of industrial market. Issued concerning the
development of this Oblast should, in our opinion, be tackled in terms of geopilitical
(border) problem regions development.
Groups of depressive regions
Some research argue that depressive regions include a semiring of areas in the
center of the Russian Federation, east of Moscow, and separately located Pskov
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