Innovation Security of Russian Borderland: The Case of Kaliningrad Region

Abstract

Innovation security is a new scientific agenda for human geography, the significance of which is growing with an increase in the need to form an innovation system in Russia in the context of unfavourable geopolitical conditions. The identification of territorial features of security is an important aspect of innovation security studies. The article aims to highlight the specifics of ensuring the innovative security of a border region. The study places emphasis on the influence of the border factor on the innovation security of a region in three contexts: geopolitical, institutional, and socio-economic. The proposed integrated approach to the system of innovation security is tested on the example of the Kaliningrad region—an exclave of the Russian Federation on the Baltic Sea. This region is selected due to its unique border position, high geopolitical significance and the actively developing innovation system. The article highlights the strengths and weaknesses of its regional innovation system in geopolitical, institutional, socio-economic aspects basing on the results of previously conducted empirical study on innovation security of the Kaliningrad region. This made it possible to draw a conclusion that the geopolitical context is of great importance for the innovation security of the Kaliningrad region. The article proposes a number of policy measures to strengthen the region’s innovation system under unstable geopolitical conditions.