The Future of the World. A New Platform for Global Growth

Russia has been strategically investing in infrastructure, transport and digital technologies as part of its policy to strengthen its economic and geopolitical influ­ence on the international stage. These investments have been focused mainly on the countries of the former USSR, Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and some regions of Europe and Latin America. Here are some key aspects:

Investments in Transport Infrastructure

Russia has built and financed major infrastructure projects to increase trade ties with strategic partners: Eurasian Railway Network: Through Russian Railways (RZD), Moscow has invested in projects such as the Trans-Eurasian Belt railway corridor and the expansion of railway routes in Central Asia and China. Interna­tional North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC): An ambitious project to connect Russia with Iran, India and the Persian Gulf countries via railways and ports.

Partnerships with China and Iran: Russia has strengthened cooperation with China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and has helped build transportation infrastructure for energy and industrial trade with Iran.

Timeline of railway implementation

1837 — The Tsarskoye Selo Railway (27 km);

1843 — Inkerman Railway (about one km);

1848 — the Warsaw-Vienna Railway (800 km);

1851 — Nikolaevskaya railway (645 km);

1854 — Connecting Line (4,73 km), first trans-line connector to form the future network;

1855 — The Balaklava Railway (about 23 km);

1861 — the Riga-Dinaburg railway (218 km);

1862 — the Petersburg-Warsaw Railway (1116 km);

1862 — the Moscow-Nizhny Novgorod railway (437 km);

1868 — Moscow-Kursk railway (543 km);

1870 — Yaroslavl Railway;

1878 — the Ural Mining and Railroads (by 1880-715 km);

1884 — Catherine (Krivorog (g)) railway) (by 1884-523 km);

1890 — Samara-Zlatoust railway (1888 — Samara-Ufa, by 1893 about 1500 km);

1898 — the Perm-Kotlas railway;

1900 — The Ussuri railway (964 km);

1900 — the Moscow-Savyolovo line;

1903 — the Sino-Eastern Railway (Manchurian, Chinese Changchun, Harbin);

1905 - Trans-Baikal Railway; The Circum-Baikal Railway; Petersburg-Vologda railway;

1906 — Theological Railway; The Tashkent railway;

1908 — Little Ring of the Moscow Railway;

1915 — the Altai Railway;

1916 — the Amur Railway; The Volga-Bugulma Railway; West-Ural railway; The Moscow-Kazan railway; North-Eastern Ural Railway; The Trans-Si­berian Railway (historical part);

1926 — the Achinsk-Minusinsk railway;

1930 — the Turkestan-Siberian Railway;

1936 — 1937 - Norilsk Railway;

1940 — Kanash-Cheboksary;

1944 — The Big Ring of the Moscow Railway;

1969 — the line of Verbilki-Dubna;

1978 — Rostov-Krasnodar-Tuapse; Yurovsky-Anapa;

Ref. Agreement on Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and Its Member States, of the One Part, and The People’s Republic of China, of The Other Part (2018). Retrieved January 04, 2019, fr om http://greater-europe.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/ зсткитайанглкоп.pdfSearch in Google Scholar

2003 — the Baikal-Amur Mainline;

2013 — Adler-Rosa Farm;

2016 — Moscow Central Circle (based on Little Ring of the Moscow Railway);

2017 — The railway line bypassing Ukraine;

2017 — the Amur-Yakutsk railway;

2019 — Railway bridge to the Crimea;

The CMREC Programme also lists priority projects, including the following of special importance to Sino-Russian relations: (1) modernisation of the central rail­way corridor connecting Ulan-Ude and Naushki in Russia with Sukhbaatar, Ulaan­baatar and Zamyn-Uud in Mongolia and Erenhot, Zhangjiakou, Beijing and Tianjin in China; (2) preparations for construction of the Western railway corridor linking the Russian city of Kuragino with Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang Uigur Autono­mous Region, via Mongolian territory; (3) preparations for the construction of the Eastern railway corridor between Borzya in Russia, Choibalsan in Mongolia and Chifeng and Jinzhou in China; (4) preparations for the modernisation of the Zaru- bino-Choibalsan-Ulanhot motorway corridor; and (5) preparations for establish­ing an economic zone in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang and the adjacent Russian regions. All the projects will be financed by the state, private companies or through public-private partnerships (PPP) with assistance fr om the AIIB,New Development Bank (BRICS),SCO Interbank Consortium.

It follows that the BRI is not just an economic initiative motivated by strictly economic stimuli but a complex, multi-layered project that can be interpreted in terms of emancipation, recognition and reformism. Taking into consideration the fact that China and Russia represent the leading actors in non-Western Eurasia, their cooperation and relations are pivotal to the suc­cessful integration of Eurasia and implementation of the values of the New Eur­asian Paradigm, embodied in the BRI, the EAEU and the SCO (Diesen, 2017, p. 8; Vinokurov, 2017, p. 66).

Investments in Digital Technology and Telecommunications

Russia is trying to develop and export digital technologies independently of the West: Payment systems and digital finance: Following Western sanctions, Rus­sia has invested in developing its own Mir payment system as an alternative to Visa and MasterCard, and is promoting its use in BRICS and Eurasian countries.

Telecommunications and satellites: Russia has expanded its GLONASS satel­lite network (an alternative to GPS) and has provided telecommunications services to countries such as Venezuela, Africa, and the Middle East.

Cybersecurity and sovereign internet: Russia is investing in digital autonomy through RuNet, a state-controlled internet that aims to reduce dependence on the West.

Energy Infrastructure and New Supply Routes

Strategic Gas Pipelines: Projects such as the Power of Siberia for China, Turk- Stream for Turkey, and Nord Stream for Europe (until its sabotage) have been part of Russia’s strategy to dominate energy markets. Investments in Africa and the Middle East: Gazprom and Rosneft have expanded investments in North African countries (Algeria, Egypt) and the Middle East (Iraq, Syria) to secure dominance in the oil and gas market.

Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Projects

Russia has invested in supercomputers and AI for cyber defense and the dig­ital economy. Innovative programs related to quantum technologies, blockchain, and digital security are being developed as part of efforts to create a technological economy independent of the West.

Through these investments, Russia is trying to create an alternative economic and technological architecture, strengthening ties with non-Western countries and reducing the impact of sanctions. Its strategy is to build new trade routes, develop digital networks, and dominate the energy sector.

An additional important aspect of Russia’s digital infrastructure and technol­ogy strategy is the development of alternative economic corridors to circumvent Western sanctions. This includes the use of new currencies, increasing influence through non-Western alliances, and creating secure transportation routes in areas that have traditionally been overseen by the US and the EU.

Creating an Economic System Independent of the West

In addition to transportation and telecommunications networks, Russia is working to build an economic system less dependent on the West:

Developing an alternative financial system to bypass SWIFT: Russia has created SPFS (System for Transfer of Financial Messages), a banking system that is increas­ingly used by the BRICS countries and its Asian partners.Using the ruble and partner countries’ currencies: In trade with China, Iran, India and Turkey, Russia has reduced the use of the dollar and euro, switching to payments in rubles, yuan and rupees.

Transporting Goods through New Corridors

In addition to the North-South Corridor (INSTC), Russia is investing in:

New routes for transporting goods across the Arctic, due to the melting ice in the north. This makes possible a shorter route between Asia and Europe, reducing dependence on traditional canals such as Suez and Malacca. Strengthening con­nections with India and the Middle East through ports in Iran and Central Asia, creating a secure route that does not pass through the Western-controlled canal.

Digital Infrastructure as a Tool for Global Control

Another such thing is the development of an independent digital platform and artificial intelligence: “RuNet” and the sovereign internet: Russia aims to create an ecosystem independent of Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, by creating domestic search engines (Yandex), messaging apps (Telegram, VKontakte), and cloud ser­vices.

Investments in Cyber Defense: Russia has created to defend against cyber and technology attacks teams that can compete with Western ones.

AI and digital technology: The use of artificial intelligence for data mining and integrated camera analysis with advanced algorithms has become a priority for the Russian government.

Impact on the Infrastructure of Partner Countries

To increase its global influence, Russia has begun to build up operations in countries that have ties to it: Africa: Russia has invested in mines, hydroelectric power plants, and telecommunications systems in countries such as Sudan, Mali, and the Central African Republic.

Latin America: Through cooperation with Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, Russia is creating new financial and energy networks, including oil and the cre­ation of refineries.Russia is focusing not only on the economy of new technology networks and technology, but also on a global parallel, wh ere countries that are dis­satisfied with the US and the EU can use alternative technology and technology. This strategy is not only about protection fr om sanctions, but also about a multi­polar world, wh ere Russia and its allies can operate without the protection of the West. The Interconnection in the Development of Infrastructure, Transport and Digital Technology. In the era, the development of modern technology are insep­arable. Transport and digital technology are increasingly integrated, creating an interconnected ecosystem that will have security in the economy, in the nature of life of life.

The Role of Infrastructure in Economic Development

Infrastructure is the backbone of the development of any society. Roads, rail­ways, ports and airports facilitate trade and their movement, contributing to eco­nomic relief. Investments in modern transport reduce costs, improve logistics and price competitiveness.

Integrating Digital Technology in Transport

The use of digital technology in transport produces high efficiency and secu­rity. Artificial intelligence (AI), data analysis and the Internet of Things (I T) are revolutionising how public and private transport is managed. Some applications of digital technology include:

1.Intelligent traffic systems, which optimise traffic flow and reduce pollution.

2.Autonomous vehicles, which reduce accidents and increase transport effi­ciency.

3.Integrated digital platforms, which provide advanced connectivity for pas­sengers and transport operators.

4.Transforming Cities through Connectivity

Modern cities are adopting “smart city” models, wh ere technology is con­nected to their lives to use the technology of life. This includes real-time data to manage energy, transport and public services. The initiative can create a high level of air quality, reduce traffic congestion and more efficient services for.

Advancing International Cooperation

In a more globalized world, the development of transport activities and tech­nology requires cooperation between different countries and actors. Initiatives such as International Transport Corridors and investments in transnational digital technology can create a more sustainable and integrated global system.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND THE BALKANS

Restoration of international relations Albania-Russia

Article by the Ambassador of Russia to Albania, A.Zaytsev on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Russia and Albania

Russia and Albania: history, present, prospect

In 2024, 100 years will pass since the establishment of Russian-Albanian diplomatic relations. During this time, bilateral relations between our states have experienced more than once ups and downs, including the period of active com­prehensive cooperation in politics, economics and culture in the years 1945-1961, as well as the phases of their “freezing” in 1924-1934, 1939-1944, 1961-1991 and in recent years.

Although diplomatic relations between the Soviet Union and the new Alba­nian state were first established in 1924, various Russian-Albanian contacts had already taken place before. Thus, in October 1759, the Himariots, inhabitants of the southern regions of Albania, immediately after other Balkan peoples who fought under the Russian flag against the Ottoman Turks, expressed in a letter to Empress Ekaterina Petrovna their desire to accept the protectorate of the Russian Empire in the hope that “the victorious Russian weapon would be able to liberate the oppressed Orthodox peoples of the Balkans fr om the Ottoman yoke”.

When the next Russo-Turkish war began in 1768, the commander-in-chief of the Russian squadron in the Mediterranean Sea, A.G. Orlov, called on the Himari- ots to enter Russian service. Many of them responded to this call and fought bravely as part of the Russian squadron. Some of the Himariots after the end of the war moved with their families to Russia.

At the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th centuries, Russian-Albanian ties continued to expand. During the expedition of admirals F.F. Ushakov and D.N. Senyavin in the Mediterranean Sea and the stay of Russian troops on the Ionian

Islands, a large number of Albanians fought under the Russian flags. Thus, during the siege of Corfu in 1789-1799, up to 4,500 Albanians participated. Hundreds of Albanians served in the “light infantry legions”, created in 1805 by the Russian command on the Ionian Islands.

Russian-Albanian contacts significantly intensified at the beginning of the 20th century, when the issue of the creation of the Principality of Albania as a sovereign state, independent of the Ottoman Empire, was being decided. During the proceedings of the Conference of Ambassadors of the Great Powers, including Russia, held in London (1912-1913), as a result of which the borders of the Alba­nian state were determined, the Russian diplomat A.M. Petryaev visited Albania several times, wh ere he met with representatives of the Provisional Government of I. Qemal, and informed the tsarist government about the state of affairs in this country.

After the First World War, Soviet Russia supported the struggle of the Alba­nian people for independence and their right to determine their own destiny on their own land. In particular, after the October Revolution of 1917, the Soviet gov­ernment published, among other secret agreements, the Treaty of London of April 26, 1915, which provided for the division of Albania and the establishment of the Protectorate of Rome in exchange for Italy’s entry into the First World War on the side of the Entente countries.

Specifically, the issue of establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries began to be worked out in 1924, when the Albanian government of F. Noli turned to Soviet Russia in search of international support. The relevant agreement was recorded in the exchange of notes between the foreign ministries of the two countries in September 1924. On December 16, 1924, after receiving entry visas in Vienna, a group of diplomats, led by the Soviet Plenipotentiary Representative, A.A. Krakowecki, arrived in Tirana. However, in the conditions of a rather com­plicated internal political situation in Albania and strong political pressure on the government of F. Noli from the Western powers, which opposed the establishment of ties between Albania and Soviet Russia and the presence of the Soviet diplo­matic mission in Tirana, the government of F. Noli expressed its support for a short delay in establishing the Soviet diplomatic representation in the Albanian capi­tal. Three days after arriving in Tirana, the Soviet Plenipotentiary Representative, A.A.Krakovecki was forced to leave the country. Diplomatic relations between the USSR and Albania were frozen for 10 years.

The actual restoration of bilateral relations occurred only in September 1934, when the Albanian government led by King A.Zog agreed to the USSR’s proposal to “melt” diplomatic contacts. However, they did not last long. Already in April 1939, when Albania was occupied by fascist Italy, Soviet-Albanian diplomatic relations were “broken off” again. In 1944-1945, only Soviet military missions were located in the country, led by Red Army Major K.P.Ivanov, then by Colonel S.V.Sokolov.

The issue of restoring bilateral relations arose immediately after the end of

World War II. On January 11, 1946, the first envoy of Soviet, D.S.Chuvahin pre­sented his credentials to the Chairman of the Presidium of the People’s Parliament (Assembly), O.Nishani, and in December 1946 diplomatic relations between the USSR and the People’s Republic of Albania (PRA) were fully resumed.

It was in the post-war years (1946-1961) that political, trade, economic, cultural and humanitarian ties between Albania and the USSR flourished. The Soviet Union helped the new socialist republic create an industrial base, supply­ing it with more than 90% of all equipment for the oil, mining, and road freight transport industries, more than 80% of tractors and 65% of other agricultural machinery.

During the first five-year plan (1951-1955), with the direct support of the USSR, a number of large enterprises were established: the textile combine in Tirana, the wood combine in Elbasan, the cement factory in Vlora. The average annual growth in industrial production volumes was 28%. During the second five-year plan (1956­1960), more than 50 industrial facilities were built, including a hydroelectric power plant in Ulza, a mine in Kurbnesh, and oil refining complexes in the cities of Cerrik and Stalin (present-day Kumova).

The Soviet Union supplied Albania with machinery and equipment, consumer goods, imported breeding livestock, seeds of cereals and industrial crops, fertiliz­ers, and provided preferential loans. Soviet specialists were sent in large numbers. Young Albanians (about 10 thousand people) completed higher education and increased their qualifications in the USSR, while the knowledge and experience gained served as the basis for the development of the country.

Cooperation in the field of security was actively developed. The agreement “On the naval military base in Vlora”, signed in August 1957, determined the con­ditions for the presence of the Soviet fleet on the Adriatic coast of Albania. On the basis of this agreement, military ships and submarines of the USSR had the right to free deployment in Albanian ports. The main obligation of the Soviet side was the delivery of new ships and submarines to Albania, as well as the training of sailors to work with the new equipment.

An air base of the Warsaw Pact countries operated in present-day Kumova. Dozens of fighter aircraft, modern for the 1950s-1960s, including the MiG-19, were stationed there. Albania had a full-fledged military air force, fighter pilots who were trained, among other things, in the flight schools of the USSR.

Close political contacts were maintained between the two states. Delegations of the Albanian party and government headed by the head of the country, E.Hoxha, visited the USSR more than once, while in May 1959, the head of the Soviet state, N.S.Khrushchev, visited Albania on an official visit that lasted almost two weeks. However, due to ideological disagreements between the RSPSH and the USSR, in November 1961 the USSR government was forced to withdraw the entire staff of the Soviet embassy from Tirana, which led to the “freezing” of diplomatic relations for 30 years, until 1991, when the activities of the embassies in the capitals of both countries resumed again.

After the restoration of contacts in the 1990s, Russia made efforts to estab­lish normal interaction with Albania. The legal basis and agreements between the two countries in the fields of culture, education, tourism, health, trade and econ­omy, investment and scientific and technical cooperation, environmental protec­tion, etc. were formed and improved in a very active manner. In the 1990s, bilateral visits were held by members of governments, as well as parliamentarians of both countries. In April 1995, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Repub­lic of Albania paid an official visit to Russia. On the occasion of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Victory of the USSR over fascism, the President of the Republic of Albania was present at the ceremonial events in Moscow (May 1995). Contacts were maintained between the foreign ministries of Russia and Albania. In December 2004, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia, S.V.Lavrov, arrived in Tirana for a working visit, during which the Treaty of Friendship and Coopera­tion between the two countries was initiated. The Russian-Albanian Intergovern­mental Commission for Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, established in 1992, operated successfully for many years. Mutual trade turnover increased.

The USSR helped create scientific, educational and cultural centers through­out the country. Thus, in 1957, with the support of the Soviet Union, the first uni­versity was opened in Tirana, in 1952 the film studio “New Albania” began its work. One of the first feature films in the country was the Soviet-Albanian co-produc­tion “The Great Albanian Warrior Skanderbeg” directed by S. Yutkevich. Famous Soviet artists came to the country. In November 1953, the performing collective of the National Opera and Ballet Theater, with the help of Soviet colleagues, staged the opera “Rusalka” by the Russian composer A.S. Dargomizhsky. This became the cornerstone for the development of the theater, on whose stage other Russian and Albanian operas would soon be staged.

Russia today is a high-tech country that builds machinery and automobiles, airplanes and space rockets, ships and submarines, discovers new possibilities for treating diseases and develops advanced atomic energy technologies. Russia is one of the first countries in the world to have proposed its “Sputnik-V” vaccine to international partners during the coronavirus pandemic. By the way, it has been successfully used in Albania. Our country has a global IT industry, has the highest level of digitalization: the field of commercial and state services has largely moved to the electronic plane. This allows increasing the profitability of business and greatly facilitates the lives of ordinary citizens.

A great opportunity has been missed that can reconnected bassed in interna­tional relations of past. It seems that the development by Tirana of a balanced for­eign policy, taking into account true national interests, would at least help restore pragmatic and mutually beneficial cooperation. And there are serious premises for this. An important factor that inspires hope is the commitment of the Russian and Albanian peoples to traditional values: family, in the classical sense of the word, appreciation for history, respect and peaceful coexistence of traditional beliefs, love for the homeland.

Conclusion

The interconnection of products, transport and digital technology is a key fac­tor for customers and developing economies. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to invest in new technologies, foster innovation and develop their partnerships for a more interconnected and broader future.