The publication of a documentary publication devoted to the cultural policy of late Stalinism will summarize the long-term research work led by Professor V.V.Zhuravlev, Doctor of Historical Sciences, on the publication of documents, characterizing the set of key features of the “Stalinist” catching-up modernization. In the collection, “Stalin's economic Legacy: plans and discussions. 1947–1953” The compilers included sources characterizing the search for a theoretical basis for a long-term development strategy of the country. At the next stage – in the collection “Social policy in the USSR in the postwar years. 1947–1953” – the “Stalinist" model was considered in the context of the post-war reconstruction of the country. The task of the new stage was to identify the features of post-war cultural policy through the prism of its conceptual foundations and practical implementation mechanisms.

The article examines the factors that contributed to the transformation of V.I.Ulyanov (Lenin) into a revolutionary. It is shown that even well-known sources (first of all, the memories of the leader's relatives) are fraught with certain riddles and omissions. Modern historiography has freed itself from the cliches of the Soviet era with its rather straightforward interpretation of Lenin's path to revolution, but sometimes suffers from arbitrary treatment of facts. The use of methods of psychological analysis, comparison of sources, identification of the political position of their authors, the time in which memories were created, and other methods are aimed at clarifying the conditions and circumstances associated with Vladimir Ulyanov's departure into the revolution.

The centenary of education and the thirtieth anniversary of the collapse of the USSR actualize the search for the causes of what happened. In recent years, a number of monographs and collections of documents have been published (listed in the list for publication by L.N.Lazareva –1, 3, 4, 6), in which the economic theme occupies an important place. The idea of the round table, held on April 22, 2022 at the Center for Socio-Political History (to which the participants of the event express their sincere gratitude), was for the authors of these publications to present their vision of the connection of economic processes at all stages of the history of the Soviet Union with the collapse of the state. The initiative of the round table belongs to the State Public Historical Library, the Department of Modern History of Russia of Moscow State Regional Pedagogical University, the Russian State Archive of Literature and Art. The texts are published in the author's edition. Responsible for the publication D.V.Maslov, L.N.Lazareva.

The article analyzes the views of senior management of the USSR about the role of the «human factor» in the context of Gorbachev's «perestroika» of 1985–1991. As the Soviet people perceived leaders of the country, as they represented his attitude to the reforms, the evolution of his consciousness and behavior – these issues raised in the article, has not yet received understanding in historical science. But without answers it is impossible to give an objective assessment of the policy of «perestroika». In the article, based on the analysis of primary sources based on the methodology of content analysis, the study of the repetition of speech practices revealed the importance of «human factor» in the implementation of the Soviet leadership policy of «perestroika». The study of the ideas of the Soviet leaders about the Soviet man allows deeper understanding of the role of the «human factor» in the Russian reforms as a whole.

The author considers issues connected with exposure of the «perestroika» design in the USSR in 1985–1991 as the design is reflected in sources and historiography. Importance of these issues for study of the current history of Russia is demonstrated. Principal approaches to the problem under investigation are designated and arguments of respective approaches followers are presented. The author comes to the conclusion that poignancy of discussion does not abate while approaches of scientists and participants of perestroika events remain to be extremely contradictive. The main nerve of discussion is connected with the issue whether there was a conception of perestroika or not and what was the content and intention of the conception. In the latter case researchers are in disagreement on the point whether the conception was aimed at the destruction of the Soviet formation or such destruction was a result of objective processes. Suggestions on methodology of the problem investigation including methods of historical sources critique are made in the article.

The article is dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the Slovakian national uprising (August 29 — October 28, 1944) and of the Carpathian- Doukla operation of the Red Army (September 8 — October 28, 1944) that was carried out due to political reasons in order to assist the uprising. The operation was prepared in the shortest terms and was carried out in the most difficult conditions. The operation led to enormous losses. The 1st Czechoslovakian army corps formed on the USSR took part in the operation together with the Red Army. On October 6 the Soviet and Czechoslovakian troops conquered the Doukla pass in the Carpathian ridge and reached the prewar Czechoslovakian border. The author demonstrates variety of the operation’s assessments in the recent Czech and Slovakian historiography. The article is based on archive and published documents, memoirs of the generals and literature available to the author.