Growing up during the Cold War which encompassed the red scare and fight against global communism, photos and information on aviation in the USSR was pretty skimpy! A short video of a plane flying over a parade in Red Square or a few grainy, slightly out of focus black and white photos Were all there was. A little bit more was available on export models as they were used by Soviet Client states and thanks to the September 6, 1976 defection of Viktor Belenko flying his Mig-25 to Japan a bit more was available on that aircraft.
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain and communism much more information is readily available to the modeler and aviation historian on Russian aviation designs and tactics. The authors are the go to folks for this information. I have had the pleasure of reviewing several of their books and like past volumes, this one does not disappoint!