On the question of influence of the regional banking sector on the level of economic security of Russia’s regions

Study of factors and mechanisms of providing economic security for regions of the Russian Federation is a task of vital importance nowadays. This issue requires further profound consideration since not enough attention is paid to it in Russian scientific literature. Scientists recognize that regional banks are an important factor for ensuring sustainable economic development of regions. However, in Russia there are no empirical researches confirming this hypothesis. The author of the article considers theoretical questions of regional banks’ influence on economic security of regions. Furthermore, the author analyzes empirical data of statistical surveys allowing for establishing the nature of this influ- ence. In the paper, a method of the mathematical correlation analysis was used. The article belongs to inter-subject do- main of studies. The difficulty is that in Russian science concepts of "economic security of regions" and "regional banks" are not clearly defined. The author proposes her own definitions of "economic security of regions" and "finan- cial safety of regions" and also examines theoretical aspects of influence of regional banking sector on financial and economic security of regions. For empirical research, the author used a method of the aggregated indicators. Taking into account the linear nature of interaction, the author raises a problem of strengthening of uneven social and economic development of regions (subjects) of the Russian Federation. In regions with a poorly-developed regional banking sec- tor the level of economic security will probably decrease in the future.