Analysis: Why Russia’s Su-35 Fighter Jets Had Trouble Finding Buyers Even Before Ukraine

Russia has long been noted for its fighter jets, which were often seen as rugged and cheaper than their Western counterparts. Russia inherited a large military aviation industry from the USSR and has been one of the two main exporters of fighter jets. Russia’s leading fighter jet is the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker family (including the Su-30, Su-34, and Su-35 variants). While sanctions have played a large part in hamstringing Russian aircraft production, they are only part of the tale of the collapse of Russian fighter jet exports.