The lack of a legal framework did not prevent Ukraine from ranking third among the world leaders in the use of cryptocurrencies in 2022. In terms of the sum of indicators, Ukraine is ahead of such tech giants as the United States (5th place), China (10th place), and the United Kingdom (17th place). The purpose of the study is to identify the underlying principles for the introduction of a new legal definition of “digital things” and “digital content” and their prospects for use, which are laid down in draft laws No. 6447 and No. 6576, as initiatives that are satellites to the relevant law on virtual assets. As a reminder, the Parliament of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine “On Virtual Assets” No. 2074-IX on February 17, 2022. Since the adoption of Law 2074 by the Parliament of Ukraine on February 17, 2022 and until the period of 2023, significant events have taken place. They have significantly affected the plans of the Parliament of Ukraine to launch mandatory amendments to the Tax Code of Ukraine provided for in the Draft Law 7150 and simultaneously enact Law 2074 from October 1, 2022. The study was based on the analysis of the legislative framework of Ukraine, the European Union and other international acts, including those ratified by the Parliament of Ukraine. The study has led to a number of conclusions. Draft Law No. 6447 introduces the definition of a “digital thing” that is in circulation only in digital form; these include virtual assets, digital content, online accounts, money and securities that exist exclusively in digital form. Its adoption will help potential consumers to protect their rights to digital content, online accounts, virtual assets, even money and securities that exist exclusively in digital form. Comparing the concepts of “digital thing” and “digital content” proposed by draft laws No. 6447 and No. 6576, we found signs of legal tautology in determining what is primary and what is secondary. The addition of the words “digital content” to Article 177 of the Civil Code and the expansion of the concept of a thing to “material and digital things” is at least more declarative.

The article reveals the methodological significance of legal constructions and shows their influence on the interpretation of legal norms. It has been found that legal construction is one of the epistemological tools of legal science and means of interpreting legal norms in the process of their implementation. A concentrated expression of the possible conditions of law enforcement determines the methodological significance of legal constructions during the interpretation of legal norms. The legal construction is shown as a set of stable connections of the object, which ensure its integrity and identity. Emphasis is placed on the fact that intraindustry and inter-industry connections of legal norms allow law to preserve its properties as a regulatory in the face of internal and external changes, to be stable and stable. The existence of a stable structure determines the existence of law as a system is a condition for the existence of law. The author came to the conclusion that in order to optimize legal interpretation activity, it is necessary to improve the process of eliminating defects in legal constructions. The ambiguity and inconsistency of legal constructions is a consequence of the increase in the number of scientific terms, special expressions, contradictions and gaps in the normative material. The reason for this is hasty normative design without compliance with the requirements of legal technique. With the help of legal constructions, insightful, detailed and in-depth clarification of the content of legal norms is carried out.

The natural resource sector has become a dominant part of the Russian economy and thus affected the political developments of the state greatly. Understanding of the interplay of Russian politics and economics after the fall of the Soviet Union is integral for understanding why Russia has developed steadily into a more autocratic direction during the past few decades. The phenomenon through which we will be analyzing the intertwining of political and economic spheres of Russia is the natural resource curse concept. We seek to understand what factors have contributed to Russia’s failure to avoid the natural resource curse and give examples on how the natural resource curse manifests itself especially in today’s Russia political reality. Does the abundance of natural resources contribute to the emergence of a hyper-presidential, autocratic regime in Russia?

Undoubtedly, Russia occupies a distinct position within the political landscape, differentiating it from Western democracies that themselves exhibit considerable variation. This uniqueness can be attributed, in part, to Russia’s geographic characteristics, encompassing diverse subdivisions characterized by variations in population, natural resources, territorial expanse, and distance from the central authority. However, what truly distinguishes Russia is its contemporary history and recent experiences with federalization— a framework that has defined its operations since it became the Russian Federation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The objective of this paper is to analyze the distinctive features of Russian federalism in its early stages, employing a comparative perspective against the Spanish case, in order to ascertain the consequences of the legal, organizational, and territorial arrangements established during Russia’s early democratization period. The focus is to evaluate the implications of these changes on the establishment of a legally-binding democracy and a well-functioning federation, ultimately questioning whether Russia genuinely qualifies for either of these classifications.

Economic relations between Russia and China have been growing over the years. Of particular importance in Russia-China economic relations is the gas and oil trade. Russia has the world’s largest natural resources, while China is the world’s largest energy consumer. In 2014, an agreement was reached to build a new gas pipeline and increase gas exports to China. If the planned volume of gas can be exported to China on a stable basis, Russia will be able to supplement some of the economic sanctions imposed by the West. However, there is much uncertainty as to whether China can be a stable export destination for Russia. There is a significant gap in the trade scale between Russia and China and asymmetrical dependence in the relationship between them. In addition, international pipeline projects have substantial financial and time costs, and the two countries; intentions sometimes differ. The purpose of this research is to clarify the current state of trade interdependence between Russia and China and to study whether China can be a stable economic partner for Russia. This paper consists of three main parts, with an introduction and conclusions. The first part explains an overview of trade and asymmetric interdependence between Russia and China. It then analyses the anticipated benefits and vulnerabilities of increased Russian gas exports to China. The third section investigates the uncertainties of China as a gas importer in terms of China’s dependence on Russia.

French colonial policy in West Africa

This article is an attempt to analyze French colonialism in West Africa. The author focuses on the characteristics of the colonial thought of Paris, and outlines the most important concepts (tools) necessary for the study of this issue. She also marks the influence of history on the current territorial division of the French Republic and spheres of influence in West Africa. The history of the former French colonies, both after gaining independence and at current time, is also presented, and the features of the contemporary politics of the former metropolis are outlined.

The United States and Saudi Arabia in the light of ‘Abd ar-Raḥman Munīf’s City of Salt and Dave Eggers’ Hologram for King – a question about the costs of economic progress

The article analyzes two literary works: At-Tīh (The Lost), the first part of the five-volume Mudun al-milḥ (Cities of Salt, 1984–1989) series by Saudi writer ‘Abd ar-Raḥmān Munīf, and the novel A Hologram for the King (2012) by American writer Dave Eggers. The plot of both novels is set in Saudi Arabia. Both works are interesting studies of the mechanisms behind economic expansion and the impact of technological progress on the societies of the particular regions. However, both novels are characterized by a different historical and cultural perspective. Saudi Arabia illustrated in Minīf’s novel at the beginning of the oil age appears to be a completely different political and economic formation than the modern wealthy Saudi Kingdom illustrated in Eggers’ novel. The position of American capital and industry in the world economy in the first half of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century is also different. The geopolitical situation has also changed over the past decades: a new major player – China – has emerged among the economic powers. Despite these differences the analysis of both novels shows that the mechanisms ruling economic expansion remain unchanged and its costs to societies and individuals are difficult to assess. Both works also raise questions about the extent of modernization processes and cultural transformation, as well as the persistence of values, behavior patterns and thought patterns, which reveal their presence especially where the confrontation between the Eastern and Western World takes place.

Memories of a Polish school girl exiled to Siberia in the post-war period in the perspective of documents

Background: The article aims to present the fate of children sent with their families to the Soviet Union in the post-war years, preserved in the memory and private collections of Janina Góral (de domo Nesterowicz). The interview touches on such topics as Soviet crimes, conditions in Siberia, the denationalization of Polish children, the struggle against religion, rape – including an example of a mass rape whose victims and perpetrator are still alive – and attempts to cope with inhuman realities. The collected materials also describe the reality of Soviet school, daily and family life of exiled Poles in Siberia. Objectives: Initially, the recording of Janina Góral’s testimony by a team of volunteers from the group Niezapomniani – Inicjatywa Brzeskiej Młodzieży Patriotycznej within the framework of the Kotwica Pokoleń project was aimed at popularizing the history of Brzeg witnesses to history. With the deepening of the research, it became a priority to compile the collected materials into one coherent narrative, which will help answer the question about the course of the deportation of the person reporting and the brutal reality she faced at that time in school and beyond. Methods: The main tool used in the research is oral history, recorded as part of the Kotwica Pokoleń project. The primary source critique was done on the basis of sources, from the private collections of the person who gave his account. These included school certificates, personnel files, schoolgirl characteristics, and documents related to the repatriation, delivery duty and work of Michal Nesterowicz, Janina’s father. Criticism was also extended to Russian and Polish literature related to the issue under study. Results: With the help of the research, the exact history of Janina Góral’s education from grades 4 to 9 was determined, the overwhelming majority of which took place in Siberia near the town of Zima. In addition to determining the living conditions and the course of the deportation, attention was paid to the various forms of oppression and dangers faced by Polish children. Conclusions: The research showed the inconsistency of Janina Góral’s account with the documentation. They also revealed the communist school system in Siberia in light of the experiences of the Polish schoolgirl, and expanded knowledge of life in forced settlements in the Soviet Union in the Irkutsk region. In addition, they revealed the crime of gang rape that occurred against two exiled Polish women and a Ukrainian woman. They also demonstrated the value of combining research conducted by the oral history method with private collections. In addition, they draw attention to the trauma that war and captivity leave in a person.

The impact of Far Eastern art in Poland from the late 19th to the 20th century

From the period of geographic discovery to the current era of globalization, Eastern and Western cultures have been in constant communication while being very different from one another. The Polish art scene was profoundly influenced by inspiration from the Far East from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century, or from “Young Poland” to the modern era following World War II. At the turn of the century, interest in Japan and its art expanded from Paris to Poland. The popularity of Japanese art in Poland increased as a result of social, cultural, and even political demands. Numerous ideas in Japanese art, such as ukiyo-e woodcuts, were compatible with the philosophy of the Young Poland era and hence served as the foundation for numerous art schools. Poland and China, another Eastern nation, frequently exchange cultural and artistic works during the aforementioned period, which are evident in sectors such as painting, film, stage design, etc.