On the future role of Kaliningrad oblast of Russia as an "international development corridor"

Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation has a unique position in the Baltic Sea Region due to its physiographic situation and, thereby, it plays an active role in geopolitical and economic processes that occur in the Baltic Sea Region. This, first of all, happens owing to its exclave position that causes to a great extent a necessity for close cross-border integration for the developing economy of the Oblast. The article considers new spatial forms of international economic integration (NSFIEI) contributing to the development of border regions; distinguishing of the border regions as international "development corridors" has been substantiated within the general region classification; the place of Kaliningrad Oblast regarding the level of economic development and maturity of external relations among the border regions of Russia has been shown; its role as an "international development corridor" of Russia and EU has also been viewed. The comparative method and the technique of economic geography classification have been applied. (author's abstract