Widening out this debate slightly, and picking up on some excellent observations by John Farley and Ghengis, being a part owner and a flyer of a Yak 52 for a few years really changed my attitude to Russian technology.
The received wisdom in the west is that Russians are way behind, they copy what we do, and copy it badly. Certainly, Russian cars are poor compared to western ones. But the Yak, and its M14P engine, are just superbly engineered - and very different to a western aeroplane. The Chipmunk, my other mount, fine aeroplane though it is, seems cobbled together by comparison.
The Russians have a practical approach to engineering (certainly not 'agricultural'), and it owes nothinmg to the west. Their aeroplanes are just 'different', both in the way are built and the way they perform. They take a bit of getting used to if you've been brought up on UK and US machinery, but it's worth it.
I love them!
SSD