In the present day, Ukraine-made drones of their own design are hitting targets deep inside Russia on an almost daily basis.
So, it is hard to imagine that there was ever a time when the country lacked such capabilities and was forced to improvise a land-attack weapon based on a previous-generation, Cold War-era system.
Su-27 Flanker Up Close. Image Credit: National Security Journal Taken on July 19, 2025.
Russian Su-27 Flanker from USAF Museum. Image Credit: National Security Journal.