[who_would_fardels_bear]

When the world is generally not at war and your country wants to be able to sell what it produces, then it either has to be less expensive or better quality.

Maybe Russia can't produce computer chips or other high tech items that can compete with those made in places like Taiwan in times of peace, but if they have to produce acceptable computer chips, etc. in times of war for themselves then that's all they need to do.

[Vlad0]

They make the best sidecar motorcycles and along with China have almost a monopoly on vacuum tubes.

You can say they are anarchronistic, but you need them to have a decent guitar amp.

I own a Russian rifle made in the late 1800s. Now, admittedly it was donated to the Finnish Armory by a dead Russian, and then re-barreled in 1970 by Sako, so it's not surprising it is so accurate, probably more accurate than the original configuration, but still here is a 125 year old weapon that still functions flawlessly.