1、 Introduction

This article introduces the concept of the "nesting doll region" in Russia and its connection with Soviet ethnic policy. It analyzes the inheritance and changes of administrative divisions in the Russian Federation after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as well as the political, economic, and ethnic issues that have arisen in the "nesting doll region". The article discusses in detail the process of Russia reducing the number of "nesting areas" through regional mergers from 2000 to 2008, as well as the specific situation of the remaining two "nesting areas" - Arkhangelsk nesting and Tyumen nesting. Special emphasis was placed on the crucial role of the Nenets people as the main ethnic minority in the "nesting area" issue, and the evolution laws of the formation and development of the "nesting area" problem were proposed, as well as exploring possible solutions.

2、 The historical origins of the "nesting doll area" problem in Nenets

The formation of the "nesting doll area" problem in Nenets is closely related to Russia's ethnic policy. Before the October Revolution, the Nenets ethnic region had no autonomy and was referred to by Lenin as a 'prison for ethnic minorities'. During the socialist period, Soviet Russia began to attach importance to ethnic minority areas and gradually expanded their autonomy, laying hidden dangers for the formation of "nesting doll areas" after disintegration. The Nenets ethnic group is one of the larger ethnic groups in northern Russia, originally inhabiting the permafrost region in the middle reaches of the Ob River. In 1478, the Nenets settlement in Europe became part of Russia. In 1708, Peter I began the provincial system reform and established a three-level administrative division system of province county township. After the October Revolution, Lenin and Stalin signed the "Declaration of the Rights of All Peoples in Russia", which stipulated the content of national independence and self-determination. In 1924, after the establishment of the Soviet Union, it became possible to establish autonomous regions in ethnic minority areas. From 1925 to 1944, the administrative divisions of the Nenets settlement area were continuously adjusted, and the basic map of the "nesting area" was delineated. In 1977, the ethnic region was renamed as an autonomous region, and its autonomy was expanded. In 1993, the Constitution of the Russian Federation upgraded each autonomous region to an independent federal entity, forming a nested subject structure, which gave rise to the issue of "nesting doll regions". During the Yeltsin era, there were separatist forces and ideologies within Russia. The 1992 Federal Agreement established that local administrative units were subordinate to the Russian Federation. In 1997, there was a disagreement between the state of Tyumen and two autonomous regions regarding the interpretation of Article 65, Point 4 of Chapter 3 of the Constitution, and they requested an interpretation from the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation. The court adopted a compromise solution, holding that the autonomous region constitutes a part of the state (or border area) on the basis of being an equal federal entity. But the court's interpretation cannot truly solve the issue of "nesting doll areas", exposing that the central government of the Russian Federation is unable to resolve the issue of subordination of autonomous regions through existing legal means.

3、 The problems caused by the 'nesting area'

In depth exploration of the challenges posed by the issue of "nesting doll regions" in Russia at the political, economic, and ethnic levels. Politically, this administrative division leads to unequal rights among federal subjects and undermines the constitutional principle of equality, such as the merger dispute between Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug, as well as the intervention of the autonomous Okrug in the election of the governor of Tyumen Oblast. On an economic level, federal entities within the 'nesting doll regions' often lack independence, resulting in barriers to resource flow and wealth inequality, such as the financial difficulties of the Taymyr Autonomous Okrug and the economic contributions of the Krasnoyarsk Krai. The issue of taxation is also a difficult problem for the "nesting areas", as a dual tax system may lead to double taxation or tax evasion, affecting fiscal revenue. At the ethnic level, the historical friction and cultural differences between the Russian and Nenets ethnic groups, as well as the destruction of minority lifestyles during the Soviet era, have raised doubts about the autonomy of the "nesting areas" and become a major obstacle to resolving this issue. The existence of these problems has had a negative impact on the central and local governance of the Russian Federation, highlighting the necessity of addressing the issue of "nesting areas".

4、 The solution to the problem of "nesting areas"

The exploration of the solution to the "nesting doll region" problem in Russia began with the case of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug separating from Magadan Oblast through a referendum, but with the implementation of the 1993 Constitution, such unilateral referendums are no longer feasible. Since 2000, the Putin government has strengthened centralization and promoted regional integration, known as "regional mergers," by establishing new federal entities through presidential approval and legal procedures. Merger usually involves economically underdeveloped areas to promote economic development and social progress, but the "Arkhangelsk nesting doll" and "Qiuming nesting doll" districts have adopted different solutions due to their abundant resources and high level of industrialization. The political conflict between Qiumingzhou and the autonomous region was ultimately alleviated through the "Power Distribution Treaty" and the "Cooperation" plan. Arkhangelsk Oblast and Nenets Autonomous Okrug managed their bilateral relations through a treaty and returned the autonomy of the autonomous Okrug in 2014. In 2020, although the issue of regional merger was raised again, the referendum results in the Nenets Autonomous Region showed that the majority of people opposed the merger, leading to the interruption of the merger process.

5、 Conclusion and Prospect

The formation of the "nesting doll region" problem in Russia is closely related to ethnic historical factors. The inclusion of the Nenets ethnic region in Russia's territory is the result of long-term expansion. The collectivization policy during the socialist period has affected the traditional way of life of the Nenets ethnic group and intensified ethnic conflicts. With the process of industrialization, a large influx of Russian population and a decline in the Nenets population, the problem gradually shifted from ethnic issues to political and economic issues. The autonomous region with abundant resources has strengthened its economic strength and has the ability to operate independently, while the economic pillar of the state depends on the autonomous region. Abandoning control will have a negative impact on the economy. The balance of relations between the central and local governments is also affected by the issue of "nesting doll regions". The policy of regional mergers aims to reduce the number of Russian entities and improve management efficiency, but lacks attractiveness in economically developed autonomous regions. Vladimir Yakushev, the plenipotentiary representative of the Ural Federal District President, ruled out the possibility of a merger. The 'nesting dolls' in Arkhangelsk and Tyumen regions have found a solution by establishing communication channels and cooperation frameworks, setting aside disputes over power and responsibility division, achieving coordinated development within the region, and sharing resource dividends with residents.