On the issue of the Russian economy digitalization

The Russian Federation and its regions are facing the increasingly acute issue of accelerating economic growth. At the present stage of development, one of the key factors affecting economic growth is the digital economy. However, the digital economy allows not only growing the gross domestic product, but also contributing to increase in labor productivity in all sectors of the economy and improvement in the population’s welfare. The process of the economy digitalization leads to an inevitable change in the socio-economic paradigm, society and its individual spheres. This conclusion allows making a study of the advanced Western countries’ experience. Using high technologies, the digital economy is reshaping the picture of competition, blurring the boundariesthat have been established among players in a particular sector of the economy, and changing business models. Russia should increase human, intellectual and technological potential, and form a flexible regulatory framework for the introduction of digital technologies in all spheres of life, in order to successfully develop the digital economy and reduce the gap with the leading countries. The purpose of this work is to understand the concept and essence of the digital economy phenomenon and to study trends in the Russian economy digitalization. The author presents the theoretical basis of the essence of digital economy transformation; the economic effects of the economy digitalization; the analysis of the sector of information and communication technologies of RF, considers the problems and prospects of use of digital technologies in Russia. The scientific novelty lies in the scientific, theoretical and practical research of the digital economy phenomenon, as well as in identifying the key factors that hinder the country’s socio-economic development in the context of the economy digitalization. The results can be used for analytical and predictive studies of the dynamics of regional and national macrosystems, to develop recommendations for adjusting the implemented economic policy at the national and regional levels.