Old industrial regions and instruments of differentiated regional policy

The relevance of the study is determined by the fact that, despite the use of a wide range of regional policy instruments aimed at a positive impact on the socio-economic development of specific territories, it has not yet been possible to ensure a steady reduction in differentiation in the levels of economic and social development of Russian regions. The purpose of the study is to justify the set of instruments that are expected to form the basis of regional policy at various levels of its implementation in relation to the old industrial regions of Russia. The study uses the author’s approach to the study of old industrial regions, that is, territories whose distinctive features are the predominance of specialized industries with “outgoing” technological structures in the configuration of regional economies, the presence of a contradiction between the “traditional” industrial specialization of the territory and the requirements of the established technological structure, and the complexity of adaptation to changing environmental conditions. It is shown that the instruments of regional policy can include general impact instruments that are used in relation to all Russian regions and targeted tools that are used within a specific area of regional policy and have a targeted orientation towards the solution of the problems of old-industrial regions. The achievement of ambitious goals set out in the strategies of socio-economic development of old industrial regions will contribute to the reduction of the number of regions of this type, which can be defined as a positive change, while the sectoral factor will be more significant than the historical one. It is concluded that as we move along the vertical axe of public administration, the role of targeted tools should be strengthened, taking into account the specifics of old industrial regions, which should be reflected in the strategic planning documents of federal entities of the Russian Federation and in their regional policy.