The development of integration projects in the post-Soviet space (PSS) at the present stage is facing ever new challenges in the context of competition among global and regional centers of economic attraction represented by the USA, the European Union, China and Turkey, which actualizes the study of the prospects for integration projects of the newly independent states (NIS). The purpose of this study is to clarify the contours of the further development of regional cooperation through a generalization and comparative analysis of theoretical approaches to the integration of PSP with the identification of a possible optimal model of cooperation in the NIS. To achieve this goal, the work is divided into two blocks, which are determined by the objectives of the study. The first part of the work is focused on conducting a retrospective analysis of PSP regional cooperation in the context of the theories and approaches to regional integration used. The second part of the study is devoted to a comparative analysis of the approaches used to regional cooperation in the NIS in order to identify promising models of regional cooperation in the context of external sanctions pressure. The study summarizes some patterns in the context of PSP integration and analyzes the stages of development of post-Soviet integration in the context of the Russian concept of turning to the east. A distinction is made between fragmentation and regionalization of the post-Soviet space. It is concluded that although the European experience continues to be used in the design of post-Soviet integration, its applicability is significantly limited by the factor of sovereignty, strong differentiation of participants by level of economic development, and the desire of the participating countries to pursue a multi-vector policy. In modern conditions of fragmentation and regionalization of the post-Soviet space, the search for our own model of regional cooperation that would meet the new requirements of post-Soviet integration and adaptation of the Russian economy to external challenges is becoming increasingly relevant.