LFittNI,
I had a similar conversation with a Polish SU22 pilot whilst sat in one on a Polish airbase. His take was that they were totally untrusted by the Sovs and would be sent "up front" to soak up the AMRAAM shots before the PVO and EGAF took over. They were left in no doubt that they would have been shot down in the blink of an eye by the Sovs/E Germans if they showed the slightest sign of weakness. He shrugged and said that most of his crews would have probably ejected before the front - they had no interest in fighting the UK or US. He then described a recent exercise against Dutch F16As when his entire regiment had been "killed" for no loss and wryly smiled that ejection was better than a 'winder in the face or an atoll in the a**!!