The article is devoted to the consideration of the peculiarities of the development of agrarian-industrial regions in the conditions of the implementation of the policy of rational import substitution of food products under the sanctions pressure of Western countries. The object for the study is socio-economic relations arising in the process of implementing the strategy of rational import substitution in the agrarian-industrial region. The main statistical indicators of the activities of the agro-industrial complex (AIC) in Russia are analyzed. Also, the main problems faced by the regional cluster of the AIC are identified. The factors constraining the development of agro-industrial regions and the intensification of points of economic growth in the regions are systematized. A special attention is paid to the theoretical and methodological foundations of evaluation of the points of economic growth of the regions focused on the development of the agricultural sector. As a result of the study, it can be concluded that sustainable balanced development requires a policy of proactive import substitution, focused on emerging new markets, aimed at improving the economic security of the Russian economy in the global market segments.

The article is devoted to the essence and relevance of import substitution as an effective strategy of Russian economy's development within the sanctions' constraint of Western countries. Authors scoped out the institutional features of sustainable import substitution as an object of the study. Authors highlighted the set of objective factors verifying the economic viability of import substitution and potential threats of these measures as well. Authors arranged the evaluation and analytical tools for studying the dependence on imports' level in the context of certain industries, goods, and spheres of activity. Moreover, authors clarified the pattern for estimating the need for import substitution in a certain business entity, suggested the institutional conditions and determinants facilitating the best performance of import substitution in Russia. Special attention is given to the viability of choosing the appropriate model, developing tools, and mechanisms for implementing a comprehensive program of import substitution in Russia in the context of a multi-level policy including the following ones: enterpriseindustry (cluster)country's economy. As a result, authors concluded that the policy of preemptive emerging markets-oriented import substitution aimed at improving the global economic security of Russian economy is crucial for a sustainable balanced development.