The Mongolian factor in Russian/Soviet state economic strategy in Transbaikal region (1910s-1920s)

The article tries to define Mongolian neighboring influence on Transbaikal economic structure and rates of development. Mongolian involvement into the Russian and later in the Soviet sphere of interest did much for acceleration of the development of the region, lagging it far behind the economic modernization stage. Chinese (Sinhai) revolution and independence of Mongolia interested Russia greatly: the government was aware of the importance of Mongolia in realization of Russian political and economic interests in the Far East. The role of the starting point in Russian plans to defeat other rivals in Mongolian affairs was given to Kyakhta’s railway branch which was supposed to be constructed from frontier town of Kyakhta to Transsiberian railway with the aim to lay it through Mongolia to Peking. The possible loss of European Russian industrial areas during World War made the tsarist government pay attention to Asian markets.