The current PLA Navy carriers use STOBAR - launching with a ski ramp to cause an upward trajectory and increased angle of attack. It uses a lot of the deck - and so does the arrested recovery.
When the Soviets decided to build big carriers in the eighties, they decided not to go for a successor to the Yak-38 Forger, as they did not have the technology to compete with the Rolls Royce Pegasus engine. They also decided that developing a Steam Catapult would take too long.
It offers none of the advantages of vertical landing, reduces payload compared to either V/STOL or catapult launch, and uses a lot of deck.