Extreme Weather Events as Risk Factors for Oil and Gas Facilities

The article discusses issues related to the influence of changes in the frequency, intensity and duration of extreme meteorological events on the objects of the oil and gas industry. Climate indices recommended by World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are used as characteristics of the extreme events. The possibilities of using climatic indices for identifying physical risks applicable to the objects of the oil and gas industry are demonstrated. The features of the spatiotemporal variability of climatic indices are considered and the geographical regions of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) are identified as the most and least vulnerable to changes in the extreme characteristics of the climate. The results obtained can be used both at the level of individual enterprises and facilities of the oil and gas industry, and in the development of regulations common for the industry.

Ethnic Conflicts and Peacebuilding in Georgia

The chapter deals with the problem of territorial integrity of Georgia, particularly two adjusted regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Today, 20% of Georgian territory is occupied. After the Russian-Georgian War in 2008, things changed radically to the detriment of Georgia's national interests, in particular, the occupation of Abkhazia and South Ossetia by Russia, their recognition as independent states, and ethnic cleansing of Georgians by disregarding the fundamental principles of international law. All these are known to the international community, and it became visible to the whole world. The issues are in the field of permanent national interests of Georgia. Under such situation, it became necessary to search for new ways of conflict resolution based only upon real politics.

Dynamics of Interests and Positions in the Field of Economic Integration of Russia and Belarus (2019–2020)

Introduction. Economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus is based on the platforms of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Union State, and the Eurasian Economic Union. These associations contribute to the identification and promotion of promising business niches and areas of economic integration, taking into account the interests of the participating countries. The Union State, embodying a more multidimensional idea of integration, encourages us to turn to a deeper and more substantive analysis of the relationship between various factors and spheres. The purpose of the article is to identify positive and negative constants and dominants of economic interaction between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus in the general course of integration processes in the CIS and in the context of current challenges of modernity for both countries and the Union State. Materials and Methods. The main research methods are diachronic analysis, event analysis and the method of studying documents. The main sources are materials posted on the Internet resources of integration associations with the participation of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. Results. The key actors – state and non-state participants in the economic integration of Russia and Belarus – are identified, the degree of their involvement in integration processes and the dynamics of interaction are characterized. The most attractive traditional spheres of Russian-Belarusian integration are shown, as well as new vectors determined by current needs. Discussion and Conclusion. A moderate positive scenario is considered the most likely in the field of economic integration of Russia and Belarus. The deepening of integration is determined by the content and orientation of the “road maps”, the established economic relationships and political motives in the internal and external spheres. However, the economy in the process of union building largely continues to follow politics. The necessity of closer coupling of efforts within the framework of the CGB and the EAEU is shown. At the same time, the “dissolution” of the Union State in the EAEU and subordination to it in the logic of integration development are assessed as undesirable.

The Attitude of Teachers to the Norm-Creating in the Field of School Upbringing (Case of Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan)

Introduction. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, new independent states began to develop their own approaches to education based on national and confessional traditions. It was reflected in new norms, regulating their educational systems. The study of these norms and the process of their creation, the role of teachers and other stakeholders in this process help to evaluate educational activities at secondary schools. Materials and Methods. The expert survey of practicing teachers who work in general education organizations was conducted between December 2020 and May 2021. 268 educators from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan answered the questions of the survey. The materials of the study were the norms of the Constitutions, laws on education of Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan; methodological recommendations on education issues, developed by national academies of education; codes of pedagogical ethics; regulatory documents of religious organizations. Results. Experts in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan have demonstrated the need for legal norms governing the organization of the upbringing process. The assessment by Russian experts of the existing norms of national legislation showed that they generate excessive bureaucratization of the process, limiting the creative potential of teachers. Most experts in all three countries question the validity of professional codes of ethics. Assessing the norm-making potential of various stakeholders, Russian respondents put the state to the first place along with the pedagogical community, while Kazakh and Kyrgyz experts give priority to the pedagogical community and educational organizations. However, only teachers of Kazakhstan see real opportunities for participation in rule-making processes. Discussion and Conclusion. There are cross-country differences in assessing the quality of specific norms and the norm-making potential of school teachers. The main problems faced by experts in the implementation of educational activities (bureaucratization, limitation of creative potential, absence of time) are outlined.

An Anatomy of International Thought

International relations encompass three aspects: international anarchy, with sovereign states recognizing no political superior; routine interactions in diplomatic, legal, and commercial institutions; and moral solidarity, with cultural and psychological links more profound than those of politics and economics. Thinkers who underscore international anarchy regard the idea of international society as fictional. Hobbes, for example, maintains that the only remedy for anarchical competition is to make a contract for a ruler or an assembly to take power and act to ensure security. Grotius and other thinkers who emphasize the extensive informal, legal, and customary interactions in international affairs highlight humanity’s sociability and its potential for constitutionalism and the rule of law. Kant and others anticipate the vindication of humanity’s potential for peace through the deepening of the material and moral interdependence of people around the world. This may come about through uniformity of independent states in standards of virtue and legitimacy or through the political and moral unification of humanity.

History of partnership between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (1992-2014)

Countries and peoples of the world have expressed concern about the geopolitical situation in Asia since the end XX century and the tense situation there. Nuclear weapons have appeared in several countries of the continent. Territorial disputes in a number of countries have escalated into armed conflict. There were other disputes, which were difficult to resolve. At the same time, the collapse of the Soviet Union, which was considered a military and economic power on the continent had a certain impact on stability in the region complicating the political situation further here. Independent states were formed in the post-Soviet region. The issue of border security of the states was on the agenda. At that time, the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev speaking from the rostrum of the 47th session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 5, 1992, initiated the establishment of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia. In accordance with modern requirements, this proposal was supported and a council was established. Several states were accepted as members. Today, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia continues its work on a regular basis. The activity of this political structure has gained international significance. In the main section authors will talk about its formation and function

Characterization of the adaptive immune response of donors receiving live anthrax vaccine

Live anthrax vaccine containing spores from attenuated strains STI-1 of Bacillus anthracis is used in Russia and former CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) to prevent anthrax. In this paper we studied the duration of circulation of antibodies specific to spore antigens, the protective antigen (PA), the lethal factor (LF) and their domains (D) in donors’ blood at different times after their immunization with live anthrax vaccine. The relationship between the toxin neutralization activity level and the level of antibodies to PA, LF and their domains was tested. The effect of age, gender and number of vaccinations on the level of adaptive post-vaccination immune response has been studied. It was shown that antibodies against PA-D1 circulate in the blood of donors for 1 year or more after immunization with live anthrax vaccine. Antibodies against all domains of LF and PA-D4 were detected in 11 months after vaccination. Antibodies against the spores were detected in 8 months after vaccination. A moderate positive correlation was found between the titers of antibodies to PA, LF, or their domains, and the TNA of the samples of blood serum from the donors.

FOREIGN POLICY OF THE SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES: RESULTS AND NEW CHALLENGES

The newly independent states (South Caucasian countries being no exception), the products of the Soviet Union’s traumatic disintegration, needed independent foreign policies. Throughout the three decades of their independence they formulated their priorities and defined approaches and principles under strong pressure of certain factors. This process has been unfolding amid the complicated social and political processes and geopolitical transformations in the region shaken by the post-Soviet ethnic conflicts. As could be expected, the newly independent South Caucasian states opted for different routes in their economic and statehood development, while their ruling elites took into account the external and internal contexts when shaping their foreign policies. Different approaches and different foreign policy priorities opened the doors to non-regional geopolitical actors: the United States, the European Union, Iran and Turkey have joined Russia, whose presence is rooted in its past. Recently, China, Israel and Japan have become interested in the region. Thus, today the regional countries are orientated to the interests of non-regional states. This has not benefited the situation in the region or cooperation among the regional states. Foreign policy of the South Caucasian countries is inseparable from the regional security problems, which means that it should become an object of meticulous studies. In the latter half of 2020, the war in Nagorno-Karabakh changed the region’s geopolitical setting and shattered its stability. The article sums up the results of the policies pursued by the South Caucasian countries and identifies the challenges and possible developments in the region after the Karabakh war of 2020.

Quantum theory based on real numbers can be experimentally falsified

Although complex numbers are essential in mathematics, they are not needed to describe physical experiments, as those are expressed in terms of probabilities, hence real numbers. Physics, however, aims to explain, rather than describe, experiments through theories. Although most theories of physics are based on real numbers, quantum theory was the first to be formulated in terms of operators acting on complex Hilbert spaces1,2. This has puzzled countless physicists, including the fathers of the theory, for whom a real version of quantum theory, in terms of real operators, seemed much more natural3. In fact, previous studies have shown that such a ‘real quantum theory’ can reproduce the outcomes of any multipartite experiment, as long as the parts share arbitrary real quantum states4. Here we investigate whether complex numbers are actually needed in the quantum formalism. We show this to be case by proving that real and complex Hilbert-space formulations of quantum theory make different predictions in network scenarios comprising independent states and measurements. This allows us to devise a Bell-like experiment, the successful realization of which would disprove real quantum theory, in the same way as standard Bell experiments disproved local physics.