Current Political and Economic Challenges to the National Security of the Russian Federation
The article presents the study of leading political and economic challenges to the national security and the realisation of national interests of the Russian Federation. In the article, the author defines the term “challenge” in the framework of fulfilment of national interests of Russia. Firstly, the author demonstrated the main differences between the terms “challenge” and “threat”, because domestic researchers consider these concepts as of similar meaning. The author defines the challenges as prerequisites for threats, based on the lack of subjective intentions and objective capabilities of the subject to harm the national interests of the object. Further, the author identifies the causes and characteristics of economic and political challenges in conditions of ensuring national security. The author identified primary objective factors determining internal and external threats: Russia’s position in the international arena, geographical features, and a new model of economic development. The author considers the lack of a competent social policy, the lack of a timely reaction of regional authorities to social needs, and mineral export dependence as subjective factors determining internal and external challenges. Finally, the author determined the influence of challenges and threats on the social sphere of the state, where political and economic factors equally influence the implementation of social projects.