The article is devoted to the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The purpose of the study is to analyze the stages of formation and development of the innovation infrastructure, the current state and prospects for the development of innovation activity in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (RS (Y)). The paper provides a historical overview of the development of the Yakutia Technopark, analyzes the activities of the Arctic Innovation Center of the Northeastern Federal University and IT companies of the republic. The analysis and quantitative assessment of the dynamics of the development of indicators of innovation activity of the RS (Y) for the period 2010-2020 were carried out on the basis of data from official sources: the Federal State Statistics Service, Rospatent, and statistical collections of the Higher School of Economics Research University. According to the rating assessment of the inventive activity and the level of innovative activity of organizations, in 2020 the RS (Y) ranked third among the subjects of the Far Eastern Federal District, and their values were higher than the average for the Far Eastern Federal District. In terms of the volume of innovative products, the republic ranks 7th-8th among 11 subjects of the Far Eastern Federal District. The results of the assessment showed that by now a certain regulatory framework and infrastructural elements of the regional innovation system have been created in the republic.

Today, one of the main challenges faced by developed economies is demographic aging, due to a decrease in the birth rate while increasing the life expectancy of the population. The most popular measure to overcome this crisis is, as a rule, a pension reform, designed to reduce the financial burden on the state budget by increasing the retirement age. A number of countries have already gone through or are going through this process. This paper examines the prerequisites for the pension reform being implemented today in Russia, analyzes the trends of ongoing changes and evaluates some of the results achieved. Based on the results of the study, it was determined that it was impossible to avoid changes, despite their unpopularity. Contrary to the arguments given at the stage of reform implementation, the increase in the retirement age has not yet had a positive impact on the labor market, and on the level of pension provision, in general, too. Since the main share in the structure of monetary incomes of the population is occupied by income from labor activity and pension payments, the issues of providing them at a sufficient level are quite acute, as, indeed, are the problems of balancing the budget of the Pension Fund. Today’s pensions are too small to provide an acceptable standard of living. At the same time, for the introduction of a funded system that could supplement the distribution system and increase the level of pension payments, the Russian Federation does not have the necessary conditions, while the distribution system has almost exhausted itself. Only with the help of indexation of pensions can the problem be solved only temporarily; in the long term, other solutions must be sought.

Gas motor fuel is one of the main alternatives to traditional fuels. Natural gas is one of the cleanest fuels. Switching transport to more environmentally friendly motor fuel allows reducing emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere. The world practice of using gas motor fuel has shown its environmental friendliness and economy compared to gasoline and diesel. However, despite the advantages of natural gas as a fuel, the distribution infrastructure is not sufficiently developed, which is why this article discusses the plan for the territorial location of the CNG filling station network in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The factors influencing the location of the network of gas filling stations are analyzed. For the study, the methodology written by the authors of the monograph: “The system for ensuring the effective development and operation of a network of methane filling stations”, Malenkina, Rovner, and Mkrtychan. According to the methodology, it was determined that to determine the sites for the CNG filling stations network, the following criteria should be considered: gasification of settlements, density of the road network, the number of vehicles in the settlement, and the ecological state of the environment. The study revealed that it is more logical to install compressed natural gas modules at existing filling stations than to build completely new CNG filling stations, and it is also worth starting the distribution of gas motor fuel from the main highways of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Based on this, an analysis of gas stations built on the highways of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) was carried out and, as a result, 4 gas stations were identified where it is worth introducing the CNG module.

The article is devoted to the issues of preserving the cultural heritage of the Lena area coachmen (yamshchiks) on the example of the republic’s festival of folk culture “Play the accordion. Live ditty!” The article covers the cultural traditions of the population of the former Irkutsk-Yakutsk tract, now mainly living on the territory of Khangalassky ulus (district). The festival has become traditional. It is a noticeable phenomenon in the cultural life of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The authors believe that such events today serve to strengthen the unity of the nation in its ethno-cultural diversity. The features of this culture, historically developed over the past three centuries, are considered. The coachmen of Prilenye are a rare subculture of the Russian old-timer population of Yakutia that has its own colour. In the course of contacts with the Yakut population, Russian coachmen, adapting to the harsh local conditions, managed to preserve their traditions, taken from the places where their ancestors came from. A variety of research material, including those collected by the authors themselves, is involved. The authors consider the accumulated experience in studying the culture of coachmen in the Soviet and post-Soviet times. The article analyses the measures to preserve the cultural traditions of the descendants of coachmen living in the villages of Khangalassky and Oyokminsky uluses of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). The dynamics of the development of the process of revival and development of this unique tradition of Yakutia, which has more than three centuries, is traced.

 Proactive social and cultural activities in this direction contribute to the preservation of the continuity and identity of the Lena area coachmen. The authors of the article believe that the study and development of the traditions of the Lena area coachmen will serve as a cultural brand of the territory. The main conclusions of the article are concrete and practical.

In the modern world of tourist services’ market competition, the natural and cultural image is designed to influence the sensory perception of tourist objects by consumers in order to spread to a wide mass and advertising. In the modern world, the problem of positioning the image and reputation of the territory attracts the attention of many practitioners and scientists. Currently, the recreation of an attractive image of a tourist product in Russia increases competitiveness, in this regard, the positioning of tourism reflects their real effectiveness in the conditions of the regional market. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) needs positioning in order to become recognizable on the market, for this there are local exclusive differences and natural and cultural resources. The purpose of our article is to position the natural and cultural resources of Yakutia for the integrated development of domestic and inbound tourism. To achieve this goal, we set ourselves the following tasks: – development of a natural and cultural image, – highlighting the key characteristics of the region, indicating the cultural heritage and natural attractions that distinguish the republic from other territories of Russia to increase the attractiveness of the territory, – attracting consumers to the territory. Writing the article were used the following research methods: theoretical analysis of the terms “positioning”, “image”, research of the image of the republic, classification of the data obtained, summarizing. Priority projects and promising competitive tourism products of Yakutia should be based on exclusive advantages. The analysis of the data obtained allows us to conclude that it is the natural and cultural image of the region that has a positive effect on the formation of tourism positioning.