The problem of the development of regions, that suffer from economic recession due to the fading significance of industrial factors for economic growth, is in the focus of modern regional policy at the global, in particular European, level. Structural transformations in such regions are adjusted to the requirements of post-industrial society due to complex application of regional, structural and industrial policy tools. For Ukraine, solving the development problems of such regions requires updating the state policy concept, based on factoring in global economic trends in changing the principles of productive forces’ allocation; strengthening the institutional influence on specific features of regions (endogenous depressiveness, structural and social inertia); increasing the inclusiveness of regional labor markets, ensuring the integration of regional economies into global value added chains on the basis of neo-industrialization. The introduction of the updated concept of structural transformations in old industrial regions is important in connection with the implementation of the overall post-war recovery plan for Ukrainian economy. Offered recommendations on ensuring effective structural changes in old industrial regions of Ukraine based on updated state policy concept relate to the elimination of shortcomings in state regional and industry policies and improving their mutual coordination. The main ways to modernize the economy of the regions on the basis of proposed conceptual approach are the improvement of domestic institutional support for regional development; overcoming the imperfection and instability of sectoral legislation (in particular, relating to the restructuring of coal industry); factoring in the peculiarities of the structural transformation of old industrial regions in the policy on post-war economic recovery of Ukraine.

The necessity to take into account the inclusive development principles in forming and realization of state regional policy is explained. The directions of the researches of inclusive development issues mostly widespread in Ukraine and in the world are studied, namely the generalization of theoretical and methodological basis of inclusive development and grounding of the national state policy of inclusive growth. Traditionally most developed are the problems of poverty overcoming and reducing the gap between different strata of population, widening the opportunities of efficient redistribution and poverty reduction promotion, as well as involvement of isolated groups of people into social and economic processes as objective components of inclusive development. Special attention is paid to the lack of theoretical studies and practical results of inclusiveness principles’ implication for the solving of tasks of regional socio-economic development based on structural changes, in particular, diversification. The author proves that the diversification of regional economy holds a significant potential for the realization of inclusive development goals. The legislative basis in the sphere of public regional management is analyzed in order to estimate the diversification prospective for the economies of regions of Ukraine. The paper reveals the insufficient orientation of state regional policy on the overcoming of narrow specialization of regions of Ukraine and, thus, its inclusive development. The limited concentration of state regional policy on the solving of problems of inclusiveness through only rural territories’ diversification is determined. The proposals to improve the state policy of regional development based on the implementation of inclusive development principles – using the potential of territorial socio-economic integration and diversification of regions’ economy – are suggested. This suggests the stimulation of: integrative role of the cities as economic and social development centers; development/improvement of interregional cooperation, creation of conditions for regions’ cooperation; strengthening of interregional connections; improvement of the access to populated regions; formation and development of new, unconventional for forms of economic activity in economic structure of regions; ecologization of economic activity; development of services sector with the specific accent on socially important ones; renovation of the specialization of regional economy. Due to the strong structural heterogeneity of regional space of the country, the author emphasizes the necessity of differentiated approach to each of the regions based on the accurate determination of the types of their economies’ structure and its grouping based on this criterion.

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This article analyses the evolution of policy for restructuring old industrial regions based on the European experience and understanding of the building factors of modern EU industrial policy. It outlines the stages of this evolution and their characteristics, associating them with the search for reserves for growth in old industrial regions facing changes in development factors. The drivers that change economic development factors (namely, globalisation trends, declining economic returns on innovations, widening scope of challenges that require faster reactions, and new technological capacity to implement green technologies in industry) are identified as triggers that change the approaches, mechanisms, and methods of structural renovation in these regions, necessitating a correction to industrial policy. The study finds that industrial policy renovation is ob‑ jectively necessary to ensure effectiveness and that it occurs continuously due to permanent endogenous changes. The fast adaptation of industrial sectors is needed due to an increase in the number of challenges and acceleration of endogenous changes ensured by the anti‑crisis flexibility of the policy, which forms the basis of regional systems’ adaptivity to crisis conditions. The author highlights decarbonisation and the just transition framework for a post‑carbon society as the determinative trends of industrial development. Recommendations are suggested for the anti‑crisis correction of Ukrainian coal sector reform and revision of behaviour strategies of coal industries in old industrial regions facing the 2022 energy crisis.