Modern economy is developing in a process able format, gradually turning into a virtual economic system. Digital economy serves as the new paradigm of economic development and reformats business relationship on the basis of the use of information. New information and network technologies are becoming major factors of globalizing economy production and contribute to rapid transition of economic agents from real sector to a network one, ensuring digital economy development and innovative business processes formation. The blockchain technology implements competitive advantages of financial contracts based on reduction of the costs on economic agents' interaction, provision of information transparency and effective control over operational risks. The blockchain technology contributes to financial security of the modernization operations of business processes and high organized centralized structures of the blockchain technology. The blockchain application for financial transactions allows providing high quality of the contracts implementation between the digital economy's economic agents.

Purpose: The article is devoted to the assessment of changes in the forms and methods of lending Russian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). The purpose is to outline the role of digital technologies in the system of lending SMEs in Russia. Design/Methodology/Approach: To achieve this goal it is necessary: first, to outline the main changes in the banking industry considering digital technologies, second, to list the main banking products, how digital technologies influence the most (banks as ecosystems) and third, to describe how digital technologies are beneficial in lending SMEs. Findings: The authors defined the crucial role of digital technologies, underlined the leading role of the Russian financial sector in the world according to experts and offered the scheme of a digital banking product development. Also, the authors compared digital development in the EU and in Russia and made the conclusion towards some new opportunities to SMEs. Practical Implications: The research results may be implicated in a system of lending by means of digital products offered to SMEs and future key points of development in the digital sphere for the commercial banks, e-trade and fintech companies. Originality/Value: The main contribution of this article is in comparison between digital development in the EU and Russia, some leading role of the Russian banks in the world, description of a digital banking product development and considering the experience of the ecosystem of Sberbank for SMEs in Russia.

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This article provides information on the Northern School of Obstetricians and Gynecologists established in the city of Arkhangelsk, Russia thanks to the scientific legacy of E.-A.Ya. Krassovsky, N.V. Yastrebov, K.F. Slavyansky, D.O. Ott and V.V. Preobrazhensky. World-famous scientists, as heads of obstetric and gynecological clinics in St. Petersburg, Russia made a huge contribution to the creation and future development of the northernmost medical institute not only in the European Arctic Russia, but also in the world, as well as to the opening of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1934. In 2022, the Northern State Medical University (formerly Arkhangelsk State Medical Institute, Arkhangelsk State Medical Academy) is to celebrate its 90th anniversary.

The article provides information on the life and work of the prominent Russian obstetrician-gynecologist Vasily V. Preobrazhensky (1874-1944). The paper reflects years of scientists’s career from the resident physician to a renowned scholar, as well as his work as the head of obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Saint Petersburg and Arkhangelsk.