The Viability of a Rural Settlement Center: The Case of Oktyabrskoye Township, Republic of Crimea

This article analyzes a model of sustainable rural development using the example of the urban-type settlement of Oktyabrskoye, located in a nonurbanized steppe area of the Crimean Peninsula. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it examines factors that contribute to a settlement’s internal resilience: transport and social infrastructure, commuting-based employment, maintenance of local economic activity, horizontal ties within the community, and residents’ participation in community governance and grassroots initiatives. Oktyabrskoye functions as a cluster (hub) center, effectively serving adjacent rural localities and forming a rural agglomeration despite lacking formal administrative status. The Crimean context adds particular significance to the study by combining ethnocultural diversity with institutional volatility, both of which shape spatial and social resilience. The findings suggest that the resilience of such settlements rests less on external resources than on the community’s capacity for self-organization, adaptation, and the upkeep of core functions. The Oktyabrskoye case illustrates the potential of small and intermediate centers within rural settlement systems and can inform regional policy measures aimed at preserving the rural settlement network.