Russia should have a "modern air force" for some approximation of "modern". If they don't, well, this is a bizarre offensive.
I've read that Putin looks like he's aged 10 years in the last year or so, and people speculating he has cancer. This offensive seems poorly timed, rushed, and foolish. Like a dying autocrat's last stab.
boutique models :) Also if you will check news carefully, they don't really sell anything to anybody
>but surely they have approximations of JDAM-type munitions, certainly laser guided bombs?
probably have some limited quantity. Like 1/10th of what Israel has, in best case. They simply do not have tech or manufacturing capability to mass produce stuff. Most of things is for show. Navigators on their strategic bombers use scale ruler (there was on russian news segment about military greatness of TU160 and they by accident showed it)
In reality Ukraine got a bunch of stingers in last few months. It seems to use it rather effectively to bring down planes and helicopters (saw today at morning video of couple of russian planes shot down). Also russia failed to knock off air defenses. Additionally there is a bunch of BUK/Panzir systems that russian solders left on a roads (saw a few videos) that probably will be repurposed
And last point, russian air force it's not exactly modern air force with guided bombs. It's just good old carpet bombing