ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF CHOOSING THE UAE AS A DESTINATION FOR TRANSNATIONALISATION OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED RUSSIAN BUSINESSES

In the article the author considers a set of factors affecting the entrepreneurial activity of Russian small and medium-sized companies in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, thanks to its strategic geographical location and the government's efforts to diversify the economy and attract foreign companies, is currently one of the most important economic centres of the Middle East. Russian entrepreneurs have long benefited from the UAE's business infrastructure and have only increased their presence in the country since the introduction of international sanctions in 2022, as the Emirates continues to maintain constructive relations with Russia and seeks to preserve its role as a neutral mediator between East and West. Among the advantages of doing business in the UAE described in this study are: low tax rates and incentives, the possibility of 100% business ownership, developed infrastructure, multicultural environment, political stability and security. Despite all the advantages of doing business in the UAE, there are a number of disadvantages or difficulties that small and medium-sized foreign businesses have to face. The UAE is an expensive place to live and do business, there is also high competition in many sectors, and the multicultural environment of the Emirates has a flip side in the form of mentalities that, for example, can significantly affect the speed of business start-up procedures or construction works.