ZnSe and ZnSe:Mn nanocrystals were obtained by combustion synthesis (self-propagating high-temperature synthesis) using current pulses to initiate a reaction with an amplitude of ~35A and ~40A. It is shown that the magnitude of the amplitude of the current pulse affects the size of the nanocrystals, their phase composition, the ratio of the cubic and hexagonal phases, the degree of microstresses and the density of dislocations. An EPR spectrum of Mn2+ ions with a hyperfine structure constant A = 6.55 mТ and a g factor g = 2.0055, which is due to Mn2+ ions in a cubic environment, was found in self-activated and doped ZnSe and ZnSe: Mn nanocrystals. It was found that increasing the amplitude of the current pulse, which initiates the combustion synthesis reaction, increases the intensity of the diffusion processes and more effective isovalent substitution of Zn2+ ions by Mn2+ ions in the crystal lattice of ZnSe nanocrystals. The photoluminescence spectra of ZnSe and ZnSe:Mn nanocrystals were investigated, and individual emission bands in the integral spectra were detected. There were three such individual bands in the photoluminescence spectrum of ZnSe nanocrystals. Their maxima were characterized using the following parameters: λmax = 592 nm (E= 2.095 eV), λmax = 543 nm (E= 2.282 eV), and λmax = 505 nm (E= 2.455 eV). Six individual emission bands were detected in the photoluminescence spectra of ZnSe:Mn nanocrystals with the parameters: λmax =675. 5 nm (E= 1.835 eV), λmax =642.5 nm (E= 1.929 eV), λmax =613 nm (E= 2.022 eV), λmax =583.5 nm (E= 2.124 eV), λmax =550 nm (E= 2.255 eV), λmax =528.5 nm (E= 2.345 eV). This paper discusses the nature of the centers of radiative recombination of individual bands. Keywords: combustion synthesis, zinc selenide, nanocrystals, X-ray diffraction analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, photoluminescence spectra, individual emission bands.