METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH TO ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE ECONOMIC SPACE OF THE REGIONS

The purpose of the article is to summarize and present the differences between the regions of Ukraine on the level of development of the regional economic space from 2010 to 2020. The clustering of the regions is performed on the basis of the author's methodical approach to assessing the level of development of the economic space of the regions. Methodology. The methodological approach consists of five consecutive stages of assessing the state of the regional economic space on the basis of official statistical data. The k-means algorithm is used to cluster the regions. The implementation of the proposed methodological approach is carried out on the basis of statistical data of the regions of Ukraine for the period 2010- 2020. Comparison of the array of statistical data for the period 2010-2020 for the regions of Ukraine is carried out by regions and territories for which statistical data are available. Due to the Russian invasion in 2014, there is no statistical information about the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol and part of the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The results of the study showed that the regions of Ukraine are divided into six separate clusters, depending on the level of development of the regional economic space, in particular, the intensity of processes in the economic space. Most regions of Ukraine change the cluster only once during the period 2010-2020. At the same time, for example, Donetsk region changed its position in the clusters six times during this period. Regions of Ukraine in 2010-2014 formed three clusters with more than three regions, then three years later there were two clusters with more than 5 regions, indicating a redistribution of regions between clusters. Practical implications. The division of regions into clusters allows to unify regional development policy in the context of regions with similar characteristics and at the same time does not imply the use of a single template for the development of all regions. The grouping of regions by groups of indicators allows to distinguish stable entities (such as Lviv, Odessa and Kharkiv regions), slowly changing regions (with processes of development or regression) and unstable regions (such as Donetsk). For each group it is necessary to develop a separate regional policy, depending on the characteristics of the cluster. The implementation of the developed methodology will improve the classification of Ukrainian regions by groups of indicators of regional economic space development for further improvement and unification of regional development policy. Value/originality. The proposed methodology provides an assessment on the basis of 67 indicators characterizing the level of development of the regional economic space and forming six groups of indicators, determining for the economic space intensity of economic processes; transparency; intensity of demographic processes; labor market functioning; business diversification; ecology and infrastructure condition.