The impact of innovation activity in the real sector of the economy on the level of the economic security of the Federal districts of the Russian Federation

Purpose: is to identify the degree of influence of innovation activity in the real sector of the economy on the economic security of the federal districts of the Russian Federation. Methods: the research uses methods of scientific generalization, content analysis, statistical, correlation-regression and hierarchical cluster analysis, data processing, comparison and grouping, logical and graphical. Results: the article analyzes the innovative activity of the real sector of the economy and illustrates the dual nature of the relationship between the economic security of the subjects of the Federal districts and the susceptibility of the economy to innovation. Using content analysis, the choice of a set of indicators is justified, on the basis of which the hierarchical cluster analysis method is used to group regions by the levels of the economic security and innovation activity. The assessment of the impact of innovation activity in the real sector of the economy on the economic security of the Federal districts has shown that there is the inverse relationship between economic security and innovation activity both in individual regions and in the Russian Federation as a whole. The strongest inverse relationship is observed in the regions of the North Caucasus, the Far East and the Volga region, the least in the Southern and the Ural Federal districts. Conclusions and Relevance : at this stage of economic development, despite the emerging upward trends, innovation activity does not have a significant impact on the economic security of the subjects of the Federal districts in the short term. The uneven innovation activity of the real sector of the economy may create obstacles to solving problems in the future, as gaps in the levels of economic development of the subjects of the Russian Federation may increase, which will increase the degree of risks and threats to the economic security. The revealed trend is characterized by the influence of the time factor on the final results of the indicators. As a result, innovations can act as real sources of comprehensive support for improving the economic security of regions in the long term.