History of Russia

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — I. A. Kontsevoi. STRANGERS AMONG THEIR OWN: THE LEFT SOCIALIST REVOLUTIONARIES IN THE ELECTIONS TO THE ALL-RUSSIAN CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY

The article examines the issue of a participation of the Left SRs in the elections of deputies to the All-Russian Constituent Assembly. Based on materials from the periodical press and archival documents, the election campaign of the Left Socialist Revolutionaries is examined and the main goals of the leaders of this political force are determined. The author shows that in Petrograd the tactics of the left wing of the Socialist Revolutionary Party during the elections consisted of agitating voters for the electoral lists of the Socialist Revolutionary party. This tactic allowed as many Left SR candidates as possible to become deputies of the Assembly. However, in some regions of Russia, the Left SRs put forward independent electoral lists or called on their electorate not to support the SR party. Wherever the Left SRs put forward their own lists, they failed to gain the support of a large number of voters. The election results for the Left Socialist Revolutionaries were unsuccessful, since this party was only just forming as an independent force, and in many regions of Russia its organizations were small. The article also analyzes the composition of the Left Socialist Revolutionary faction, which, according to the author’s calculations, was represented by 43 deputies, which amounted to 5.6 % of the total number of members of the Constituent Assembly. All Left SR deputies were elected from single lists of the SR Party or in coalition with the Ukrainian SRs. For the Left SRs, participation in the elections was an important step towards separating from the SR party and creating their own party identity.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — D. A. Barinov. STUDENT FRATERNITIES OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE: FROM NATIONAL TO POLITICAL

Modern historiography of higher education convincingly demonstrates that national organisations(primarily regional associations) were among the most representative in the student environment at the turnof the 19th and 20th centuries. The author of the article attempts to trace the transition from politicizationof such associations to political struggle. Using materials from St. Petersburg University, it was possible todemonstrate that some political, neutral (cultural or economic) organizations of a national nature fell intothe orbit of larger radical parties, which often fought for influence over a specific circle. Other associationsgradually gained popularity and became independent parties / movements that claimed pan-imperial andregional coverage (the Belarusian Socialist Community, the Revolutionary Ukrainian Party, the Latvian “New Current”, etc.). At the same time, the movements that formed, despite their democratic slogans, were of anintellectual nature and arose far from the people whose interests they planned to defend. Agitation work wastransferred from large cities to the periphery later. The creation and politicization of national organizationswas facilitated by the democratic student environment, which the Tsarist government was powerless tocontrol. Upon entering the university, a young person became involved in public life and, indirectly, in formsof political struggle, which was encouraged by the illegal status of even non-political communities.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — F. A. Seleznev, M. V. Surovova. STROGANOVS AT THE ALL-RUSSIAN EXHIBITION OF 1896: ADAPTATION OF NOBLES-ENTREPRENEURS TO THE REALITIES OF THE REFORMED ECONOMY

The article examines the adaptation of the Stroganovs, a noble entrepreneurial family, to the conditions of the capitalist economy. This examination is based on materials from the All-Russian Industrial and Artistic Exhibition of 1896. Recent studies have revealed that the Stroganovs introduced substantial modernisation processes in metallurgical production and salt extraction during the post-reform period. The exhibition materials illustrate the flexibility of the Stroganovs’ economic strategy, as they sought to enhance the competitiveness of their production. This objective was realised through the augmentation of their product range, which was contingent not only on progressive borrowings but also on the development of new equipment, instruments, and technologies. The Stroganovs were consistently proactive in their provision of social support for both current and former employees and their families. This support took the form of hospitals, schools and provisions for the care of elderly and ill workers. In circumstances where local sources of coal and oil were absent, and given the complexities involved in the transportation of purchased fuel, S. A. Stroganov maintained firewood as the foundation of the fuel base. However, he attached great importance to the preservation and reproduction of forests, regarding them as the primary source of fuel. The transition to a capitalist economy, characterised by competition, resulted in an increased significance of advertising. In this regard, the Stroganovs demonstrated a commendable ability to maintain contemporary engagement, as evidenced by their increasingly active participation in exhibition activities. By the close of the 19th century, members of the Stroganov family demonstrated a high level of adaptation to the economic realities of the postreform era. In general, the noble industry of the Ural region has exhibited both the readiness and the capacity to adjust to a capitalist economic framework.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — A. I. Razdorsky. PROJECT OF THE MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS D. N. BLUDOV FOR THE REORGANIZATION OF THE NORTHERN PROVINCES OF THE EUROPEAN PART OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE (1838)

The article provides an analysis of the proposals set out by the Minister of Internal Affairs, D. N. Bludov, concerning the reform of the administrative-territorial structure of the six northern provinces of the Russian Empire (Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Novgorod, Olonets, Pskov, St. Petersburg). These proposals were outlined in a draft entitled A New Delimitation of the Provinces of the European Part of the Country, which was presented to Emperor Nicholas I in the spring of 1838. The prerequisites that gave rise to this project are outlined (the revealed imperfections of the administrative-territorial division that emerged as a result of the Catherine provincial reform of 1775–1785, the changed geopolitical and demographic situation). The key provisions of the draft concerning the European part of the Russian Empire are listed, and the list of provinces and regions whose borders were intended to be altered is provided. The following information is provided: firstly, details of the planned changes to the provincial and county borders of the northern provinces; secondly, information on the territorial composition of the new Velikoustyug province; and thirdly, information on the establishment of new county towns in the north of the country. The following information is provided on the consideration of Bludov’s project by government authorities, including the attitude of Emperor Nicholas I and members of the Russian government (Minister of Finance Ye. F. Kankrin, Minister of State Property P. D. Kiselyov, Minister of Justice D. V. Dashkov), as well as some governors of the northern provinces (Olonetsky and Vologda). The reasons why Bludov’s project could not be implemented are considered, and the individual provisions of the project that were implemented during the Soviet period are noted. The source base of the article consists of documents stored in various collections of the Russian State Historical Archive.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — S. A. Nikonov. CATHERINE HARBOR — THE FISHING BASE OF THE BELOMORSKAYA COMPANY IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY

The article deals with the construction of a fishing base of the Belomorsky Company (1803–1813) in Catherine Harbour, Kola Bay. The creation of the Company was the result of cooperation between large merchants and the state, which aimed to develop European technologies for fishing and hunting, as well as access to international markets. One of the directions was the organisation of whaling. The Catherine Harbor was supposed to provide an earlier exit of ships for hunting in the ice-free Barents Sea. The merchants of Kola — brothers A. I. and D. I. Popov, carried out the construction of the settlement in the harbor. They hired builders, delivered materials. The company’s management was a full-fledged settlement, in which, in addition to residential, warehouse and outbuildings, a church will be built. It was also supposed to melt the fat of marine animals here. The death of the whaling ship Graf Rumyantsev in 1806 forced the abandonment of the idea of a trading post. Before the liquidation of the Company in 1813, the harbor played the role of a transshipment base, where ships were unloaded and loaded, and products were shipped to Arkhangelsk and Northern Norway.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — O. A. Abelentseva. JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS IN THE ASSUMPTION TIKHVIN MONASTERY IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 17TH CENTURY

The present article examines judicial proceedings in the Tikhvin Dormition Monastery, which was granted the right to judge the population of the estates. Utilising court cases from 1648 to 1660 as illustrative examples, this study undertakes a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter of the claims filed, the administrative procedures employed for case processing, their structural configuration, the terminology utilised, and the composition of the personnel responsible for conducting investigations and rendering decisions in cases of varying importance. Furthermore, the study examines instances of reference to the Cathedral Code of 1649 when sentencing and decisions that conflicted with its provisions. This finding suggests that the monastery elders regarded it as essential to undertake a moral evaluation of the circumstances giving rise to the trial when determining sentences.

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PHJ № 2 (50) 2026 — N. V. Bashnin. THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF TSAR IVAN IV TO THE TRINITY SIYA MONASTERY AND THE CANONIZATION OF ANTHONY OF SIYA

The article focuses on analysis of the financial and material contributions made by Tsar Ivan IV Vasilyevich, also known as Tsar Ivan the Terrible, to the Antonievsky Monastery. In the span of nine years, the monarch’s contributions to the monastery amounted to a substantial sum of 2,200 rubles, a significant amount for the 16th century. These contributions coincide with the preparations for the canonization of Anthony of Siya, a figure with whom Ivan IV was personally acquainted. The newly appointed bishops, Alexander, Archbishop of Novgorod and Pskov (a disciple of Anthony of Siya), and Bishop Varlaam of Vologda and Velikaya Perm, in whose diocese the Siya Monastery was located at that time, also assumed responsibility for this. Anthony’s biography was written in two versions, one by monk Jonah and the other by Tsarevich Ivan Ivanovich. It is evident that the receipt of substantial financial resources, which were most likely utilised for various purposes, including the preparations for the canonization of Anthony of Siya, played a significant role in this development. This was further compounded by the political climate and the relationship between the tsar and the diocesan lords.

PHJ № 1 (49) 2026 — I. N. Strekalov. THE EPIC FILM “LIBERATION”: A CONTINUATION OF THE EPIC POST-WAR TRADITIONSOR A NEW STAGE IN THE SOVIET WAR CINEMA?

The article deals with the significance and role of the epic film “Liberation” (directed by Yuri Ozerov, 1970–1971) in the development of the Soviet film epic genre. Learning the archival documents of the Committee for Cinematography under the USSR Council of Ministers, the USSR Union of Cinematography Workers, and the Mosfilm Studios, the researcher concludes that the Soviet filmmakers came to the conclusion it was impossible to return to the traditions of the late Stalinist epics (“The Third Strike”, “The Battle of Stalingrad”, and “The Fall of Berlin”) when creating a new epic film about the Great Patriotic War, and they found possible to retain the epic form created in these films only. The film “Liberation” became an independent stage in the development of the Soviet military-patriotic cinema.

PHJ № 1 (49) 2026 — B. N. Kovalev. SERGEY KAFTANOV: SUPERVISING FOR CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE DURING THE “THAW”

Sergey Kaftanov was one of the Soviet cultural leaders for almost 10 years — from 1953 to 1962.
While working in the sphere of culture, he introduced positive changes. The works of Sergey Prokofiev and Dmitri Shostakovich were popularized. Collected works of European and American writers, “Adventure Library”, were published. The magazine “Foreign Literature” was issued since 1955. In May 1957, the Ministry of Culture separated out the Department of radio and television broadcasting. Thus, the State Committee for Radio and Television Broadcasting was formed. At this time, the role of these media increased significantly. The TV set changed from being a technical miracle and a luxury item to an attribute of everyday life in Soviet families. In May 1959, Kaftanov was appointed Chairman of the State Committee for Radio and Television under the Council of Ministers of the USSR — the main broadcasting organization of the country. In this
position, he did a lot for the technical support of these media. New television and radio programs were produced, which became a symbol of the era. Such TV programs as “Film Travel Club” (since 1960), “Health” (since 1960), “Good morning!” (since 1960), “Club of the cheerful and sharp-witted” (since 1961) were broadcasted.