I guess there is a general desire in many to leave the soviet era behind, however many soviet technologies were and still are way ahead of their time, so let us not make the mistake of 'throwing the baby away with the old bathwater'. In this case I'm referring to the brilliant Tupolev airframes, to which there is no doubt many people owe their lives (avoided maintenance notwithstanding), and secondly to say the least are strongly made and ideal for the tough Russian winter. You know, perhaps the new boeingss and airbussess may not perform in service in Russia as good as they appear to be able do according to their brochures. It would, on the other hand, be an easy job to refit new, quieter and more efficient engines to the existing Tupolev airplanes, and update navionics, etc. if need be, whilst the individual airplanes are in the workshops for regular maintenance work. And no-one on any farm or any business can dispute that it makes immaculate good sense to work bringing forward and upgrading well proven work-horses.