BORDER COOPERATION BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN AND THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AT THE PRESENT STAGE: DEVELOPMENT CHARACTERISTICS, PROBLEMS, AND PERSPECTIVES

The article examines the features of cross-border cooperation between the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation using the example of interaction between the Chelyabinsk Region and the Kostanay region. The economic prerequisites for cooperation, sectoral areas of interaction and infrastructural conditions for the development of cross-border relations are considered. The research uses methods of comparative, statistical, and structural-industry analysis. It has been established that cross-border cooperation is a factor in increasing the competitiveness of regions and the formation of sustainable economic ties. The main problems of interaction, including institutional barriers and infrastructural constraints, have been identified. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the results obtained in the development of regional programs for the development of border territories.