No 4 (2025)
Articles
Improving strategic planning in the field of social security in the context of the national security of the Russian Federation
Abstract
The quality of goal-setting and strategic planning is one of the most important factors in ensuring national security and national development. One of the key areas of ensuring national security is the preservation of the people of Russia and the development of human potential. This includes addressing demographic issues as well as improving the overall standard of living for the population. In this article, the author analyzes the content of both high-level strategic planning documents (the National Security Strategy and the Decree on National Development Goals) in this area and sector-specific documents (the state program "Social Support for Citizens" and the Long-Term Development Strategy of the Pension System), which describe social security instruments aimed at supporting population incomes and stimulating demographic growth. To assess the quality of goal-setting in this area of national security, the author employs a set of "SMART" criteria. The choice of this method is motivated by the need for comparability of assessment in the context of the legislative enshrinement of "SMART" criteria for certain strategic planning documents (state programs). Nevertheless, the universality of the method allows it to be applied to the evaluation of other types of strategic planning documents as well. The conducted analysis identified the main problems of the current strategic planning system. Firstly, despite the specific goals set at the upper level of goal-setting, their achievability remains debatable when compared to the most likely scenarios of statistical forecasts. Secondly, the goals and objectives of lower-level strategic documents often do not meet the SMART criteria and de facto do not decompose the upper-level goals, creating an additional redundant level of goal-setting. Based on the revealed characteristics of goal-setting, conceptual directions for modernizing the content of sector-specific strategic planning documents are proposed. For state programs, it is necessary to ensure a quantitatively defined alignment of program activities with national goals. In turn, sectoral strategies cannot be broader than national goals and should contain a specific list of programs (projects) aimed at their implementation. The conclusions drawn are of practical significance for sectoral government bodies implementing social policies and other bodies involved in strategic planning at the federal and regional levels.
National Security / nota bene. 2025;(4):1-19
1-19
The role of the financial market in ensuring the economic security of the Russian Federation
Abstract
The subject of the research is the financial market of the Russian Federation as a structural element of the national economic space. The financial market is an important element of the economic space of the Russian Federation. The relationships between the participants of the financial market, the subjects of the economic space, and the regulatory bodies affect the state of the economic security of the Russian Federation as a whole. The purpose of the research is to analyze the characteristics of the financial market, such as the essence of relationships in the market and the active participants, and their impact on the security of the economic space of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study is to conduct a theoretical analysis of the definitions of the financial market and identify the main significant aspects of the term in terms of ensuring economic security, as well as to examine the bilateral relationships among participants in the financial market, the economic space, and government bodies as sources of challenges and threats to economic security, along with ways to minimize them. The main methods include analyzing various definitions of the financial market to identify aspects of the term that affect economic security and synthesizing the relevant aspects into a block diagram. The result of the theoretical study of the functioning of the financial market in the modern economy is a block diagram characterizing the financial market as an institution closely related to the state of the national economic space for the purposes of ensuring the economic security of the Russian Federation. The scientific novelty of the conducted research lies in the justification of the conceptual model of the interrelation between the financial market and the economic space of the state, where the financial market is considered an active participant in forming macroeconomic stability and simultaneously as a transmitter of risks and threats, reflecting the overall state of the economic environment. Each element of the interrelation in the block diagram represents a bilateral influence that poses a potential threat to the stability and security of a particular subject. Any interrelation in the financial market can affect the security of the subjects of the economic space and vice versa.
National Security / nota bene. 2025;(4):20-45
20-45
Cyberthreats as a modern challenge to the security of the banking sector in Russia
Abstract
With the development of digital technologies and the widespread digitalization of financial services, there has been an exponential increase in the number and complexity of cyber threats, which pose a serious systemic challenge for various sectors of the economy, but especially for the banking industry as a key element of the state's financial infrastructure. According to the Bank of Russia, in 2023, the number of cyberattacks on credit institutions increased by 37% compared to the previous year, with 68% of attacks targeting client data and payment systems, and the average damage from a successful attack was about 15 million rubles. That is why increasing the level of cybersecurity today is not just a priority, but a strategic necessity to ensure the economic stability of the financial sector and the national security of the country as a whole. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively assess the existing measures to counter cyber threats in the Russian banking sector, analyze their effectiveness and develop recommendations for improving protective mechanisms. The work uses comparative analysis methods, expert assessments and a study of real cases of cyber attacks for the period 2020-2024. During the study, the key role of the Bank of Russia as a mega-regulator of the financial market in solving emerging problems was analyzed in detail. At the same time, it was revealed that large credit institutions also occupy a special place in countering threats, introducing various tools to prevent cyberattacks into their systems. However, small financial institutions still remain at risk. This, together with the active development of fraud schemes, determines the need to further improve the strategy for combating cyberattacks. The study is based on an analysis of the regulatory practice of the Bank of Russia, FinCERT data and a survey of 50 experts in the banking sector. The results can be used to improve approaches to managing cyber risks at all levels of the financial system.
National Security / nota bene. 2025;(4):46-55
46-55
Financial security of households: Economic and legal aspects of provision
Abstract
The article aims to clarify certain provisions in the field of financial security of actors, focusing on the protection of the financial interests of individuals with less financial "freedom" compared to other groups of economic entities. The study of the financial security of households is covered in publications by both domestic and foreign scholars. The former examine this phenomenon through the lens of other categories, such as the security of financial system links, financial well-being, financial literacy, and poverty. The latter pay attention to threats to personal finances, including those stemming from the dynamic development of various social relations, and the key means of combating them – financial literacy. However, the financial interests of households are not static, and consequently, their financial security is subject to change due to the adjustment of personal priorities. Therefore, the goal of the research is to formulate a qualitatively new approach to ensuring the financial security of households, which summarizes the description of various levels of financial security for individuals, a system of indicators to assess the degree of protection of their financial interests, and support tools. The subject of the research is households, while the object is their financial situation. The study employs general scientific and specific scientific methods. The former include analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction, through which the relationship between the definitions of "financial security," "financial interests," and "links of the financial system" is characterized. The latter includes statistical methods: description of absolute and relative statistical values, dynamic series, and ranking. These were used to assess the degree of protection of individuals' financial interests. As a result of the study, levels of individual financial security were distinguished: basic, optimal, and productive. An original system of indicators for assessing the financial security of households was developed, and the analysis of calculated values allowed for the formation of an understanding of the degree of protection of individuals' financial interests both in the Russian Federation as a whole and in a regional context. It was established that various factors, both internal characteristics of the individual and the state of the external environment, influence individuals' financial security. In this regard, proposals were formulated for changing the support mechanism for individuals to ensure reasonable protection of their financial interests and priorities. The set of recommendations presented will positively reflect on the financial condition not only of households but also of other links in the state's financial system – at both macro and micro levels.
National Security / nota bene. 2025;(4):56-83
56-83
Measuring the socio-economic development of regions: from classical approaches to digital social scoring
Abstract
The subject of the research covers the theoretical and practical foundations of assessing the socio-economic well-being of regions using traditional and innovative approaches. The analysis focuses on identifying the limitations of classical indicators, such as gross regional product, income levels, and demographic characteristics, which do not fully reflect the subjective perception of the quality of life by the population. The study examines international indices (Social Progress Index, Happy Planet Index, World Happiness Report), as well as Russian practices of comprehensive assessment (ratings by RIA Novosti, Expert RA), allowing the identification of their strengths and weaknesses. Additional emphasis is placed on the potential to use digital data and natural language processing methods, including sentiment analysis of texts, to integrate subjective evaluations and public sentiments into the monitoring system. The methodology of the research is based on applying critical analysis methods and comparative reviews of the scientific literature, generalizing the concepts of "happiness economics" and integral indices, and employing an interdisciplinary approach that allows for comparing traditional indicators and digital methods of assessing well-being. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of theoretical schools and indices aimed at measuring well-being, justifying the need for integrating subjective digital indicators into traditional monitoring models of socio-economic development of regions. The novelty is also manifested in emphasizing the application of computational social science methods, including automated text analysis, as a promising direction to enhance the sensitivity and timeliness of monitoring. The proposed approach expands existing practices, allowing not only to capture objective indicators but also to consider the dynamics of public sentiments, which changes the system of assessing well-being towards greater completeness and comprehensiveness. Conclusions: classical indicators (GRP, income) reflect the standard of living in a limited manner, while international and Russian ratings, despite their complexity, remain static and lag behind in time. The use of digital indicators for social scoring enables the formation of more timely and representative monitoring. They combine economic, sociological, and digital approaches, providing more accurate diagnostics of regional development and creating a tool to support strategic decisions in regional policy.
National Security / nota bene. 2025;(4):84-98
84-98