USE OF LUHANSK AND DONETSK REGIONS POSITIONING TOOLS THROUGH AMALGAMATED TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES DEVELOPMENT PRISM

Objective. The objective of the article is to research the current provisions of the development strategies of the amalgamated territorial communities in the context of using the positioning tools of Luhansk and Donetsk regions in order to form a positive image of the territories and increase their competitiveness. Methods. To achieve the objective an abstract logical method is used (when substantiating the use of a marketing approach for the development of local territories); the method of structural and logical analysis (when determining the prerequisites for positioning the communities of the Lu­hansk and Donetsk regions) and the method of logical generalization (when revealing the value of the positioning process for the amalgamated territorial communities of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions) are applied. Results. The use of a marketing approach to the development of local territories is justified, the use of a territorial-sectoral concept as a classic for positioning the administrative-territorial units of Ukraine is noted. The provisions of the development strategies of the amalgamated territo­rial communities of Ukraine in the context of using positioning tools are investigated, and regional results have been clustered. Using the mapping method, the presence of deep asymmetries in the process of positioning the amalgamated territorial communities of Ukraine is proved, and the presence of only two marketing tools in their strategic documents (SWOT-analysis and assessment of the competitiveness of the territory) is ascertained. The main prerequisites for positioning the amalgamated territorial communities of Luhansk and Donetsk regions, which have difficult condi­tions for the formation of a positive image of their territories in connection with the continuation of hostilities in the east of the country, are identified and analysed. It is argued that the issues of increasing the image of the communities of Luhansk and Donetsk regions require attention to the unique available characteristics of the area, which makes us think about the modern redistribution of resources in favour of high-tech industries, the development of small and medium-sized busi­nesses, and tourism.