THE ROLE OF BRANCHES OF RUSSIAN UNIVERSITIES AS INSTITUTIONS OF "SOFT POWER" AND HUMANITARIAN INFLUENCE IN THE POST-SOVIET SPACE

Khanova Irina Evgenievna

The article explores the role of branches of Russian higher education institutions in the post-Soviet space as a tool of “soft power” and a mechanism for maintaining the humanitarian influence of the Russian Federation. Based on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the network of branches, their geographical distribution, and functioning models, the article identifies key mechanisms of influence: the training of loyal national elites, the dissemination of Russian educational standards, the preservation of the Russian-speaking cultural space, and the formation of long-term academic ties. Special attention is paid to a comparative analysis of the activities of leading universities (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, St. Petersburg State University, Moscow Power Engineering Institute, etc.) in the key countries of presence — Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The factors of competition from the educational systems of China, Turkey, and Western countries are considered, as well as the challenges associated with ensuring the quality of education, financing, and administrative

Keywords:soft power, branches of Russian universities, post-Soviet space, humanitarian influence, export of education, Eurasian integration, and academic mobility