SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL ETHNO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS  AMID DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC

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Elena N. Bogdanova1, Medeya V. Ivanova2

1Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Arkhangelsk, Russia

bogdanova.en@yandex.ru, ORCID 0000-0001-9610-4709

2Luzin Institute for Economic Studies of the Kola Science Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Apatity, Russia

mv.ivanova@ksc.ru, ORCID 0000-0002-6091-8804

Abstract. Regional ethno-economic systems of the indigenous peoples of the North are currently undergoing significant transformation, adapting to national and regional digitalization initiatives. In addition to economic, transport and logistics-related, social, environmental, and ethnocultural factors, the regional information subsystem has emerged as a key driver of innovation-driven development. Its significance has grown considerably in the context of implementing digital economy initiatives. This study aims to analyze the development of regional ethno-economic systems under digital transformation in  the Western Arctic regions of Russia. The scientific novelty of the research lies in examining the current use of digital technologies in traditional economic activities and daily life among indigenous populations, and in identifying promising avenues for applying new digital solutions to preserve and enhance the quality of life. The study is based on data from semi-structured interviews conducted between March 2023 and August 2024 with representatives of the rural populations of the  Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the Komi Republic, and the Murmansk Region, as well as analytical materials from federal and regional documents, national programs, and information from regional and municipal authorities. Key areas for  the development of digital technologies that support the sustainable development of the indigenous peoples of the North were identified. An analysis was also conducted on capital investments in the development of industrial and technological infrastructure for economic entities belonging to indigenous populations in the Western Arctic regions of Russia from 2002 to 2026. Promising directions for advancing the information subsystem of the Arctic region were highlighted. The practical significance of the study lies in informing recommendations for an action plan to implement the Concept of Sustainable Development of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East through 2036.

Keywords: Arctic, Russian Western Arctic, digital economy, Indigenous peoples of the North, regional Arctic economy, digitalization

For citation: Bogdanova E. N., Ivanova M. V. Sustainable development of regional ethno-economic systems amid digital transformation in the Russian Arctic. Sever i rynok: formirovanie ekonomicheskogo poryadka [The North and the Market: Forming the Economic Order], 2025, no. 3, pp. 164–178. doi:10.37614/2220-802X.3.2025.89.011.

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