Opening address of editor-in-chief.

After four years of depression (2013–2016), our country this year came out of recession and again went into a stage of stagnation. If we take serious measures that need to be worked out and basically adopted this year, then as early as 2018–2019, our country can resume socio-economic growth.

The regular meeting of the Bogomolov Club, held on February 27, 2017 in the RAS Institute for Economic Strategies was dedicated to discussing the issues of structural and investment policy aimed at sustainable growth and modernization of the economy.

In 2009, the “Economic Strategies” published an article on the crises in Russia [1]. Then there were five crises, including the 2008 crisis. The crisis that began in 2014, in our opinion, is the sixth. Exactly this crisis will be discussed in the present article. We shall consider the socio-economic situation in Russia in 2015. And the main emphasis will be made on the state and prospects of the real sector of the domestic economy. The real sector, according to Adam Smith [2], means extraction of raw materials, production of all types of goods, energy resources, housing and communal services and agriculture. Rendering various services, including financial services, is not considered to be the real sector. The article consists of three parts. The first part is dedicated to external economic and political situation around the Russian Federation. The second part will consider the main processes that took place in the real sector. In the third part, we’ll answer the question of the possible situation evolution in 2016–2017.

In this article some international features of China’s policies are analysed — other domestic ones, such as the struggle against corruption are equally important but beyond this article’s scope, while some are domestic Chinese matters it is inappropriate for a non-Chinese citizen to comment on. But, despite this limitation, it is hoped an international analysis focusing on the new period in the world economy, as it interrelates with China, throws some light on developments both in China and internationally.

Changing of a conjuncture index of “Economic Strategies” (CIES) for January–March 2017 is considered. The contribution of indicators of supply and demand in CIES is estimated. The analysis of industrial production is carried out.

“The annual report is an effective mechanism for building trust between the company and the parties concerned. We are actively working in foreign markets, lately the range of stakeholders has significantly expanded, rersulting in raising requirements for public reporting”, said Valery Igorevich Limarenko, president of the ASE Group of Companies, doctor of economics. In an interview with the “ES” magazine he told about successes and achievements in modern nuclear power plants designing, as well as about peculiarities of a full-fledged project risk management system.

One of the major goals of political and economic sanctions, imposed on Russia in post-Crimean period, is an attempt of Western geostrategic players to intercept the trade and financial flows between Russia and the countries importing energy and raw resources of Russian or transit origin. These flows are the basis of economic, political and social well-being of Russia. Under extremely severe change of external economic conditions of the Russian energy companies activities an urgent development of a new strategy for their integration into the world economy is required. Such a strategy should be based on the organizational model of the space-stream arrangements and interaction of Russian energy companies, which could be implemented in the most effective way based on the concept of forming energy hubs abroad as a kind of energy infrastructure nodes combining different business profiles of Russian economic agents activities.

At the end of 2016, the 1st Russian crystallographic congress “From convergence of sciences to nature-friendly technologies” was held in Moscow. It was organized by the Russian National Committee for Crystallography, the National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute” and the Federal Research Center “Crystallography and Photonics” of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Chairman of the Congress, President of the Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, the RAS Corresponding Member M.V. Kovalchuk believes that development of science-intensive technologies today is possible only on the basis of crystallography. What kind of science it is and what it gives to our country — the issues discussed with Mikhail Valentinovich.

Developed the main provisions of the mechanism of formation of development priorities fundamental research as an integral part of the strategic planning system in science. Submitted by provisions and procedures provide for the selection of shortand medium-term priorities fundamental research based on the needs of science, subjects’ ability to influence the strategic socio-economic objectives. Developed an approach to identifying long-term priorities of fundamental scientific research. Proposals to ensure a real susceptibility sector of the economy to the results of scientific and technological activities.