Ukraine would be responsible for producing much of the USSR’s top-tier equipment.

We’ve heard lots about Ukraine since the full-scale invasion took place. With this being an information war as much as a kinetic one, there’s been some good, some bad, as well as some truths and more than the occasional blatant lie.

One of the things we’ve regularly been told is that Russia’s ability to outproduce Ukraine in both weapons and manpower will eventually lead to a Russian victory. To accept this as fact, though, is to overlook one key component of history. That being, the role that Ukraine played in helping to arm the Soviet Union with cutting-edge technology.

If you’re not familiar with this period of time and the role that Ukraine would play in it, when you put the propaganda to the side for a moment, it might surprise you to learn that Ukraine was a production powerhouse for the USSR in general.

Ukrainian territory would give the USSR thousands of acres of farmland, as well as vital shipyards on the Black Sea, while Ukrainian factories would turn out tanks, missiles, ships and aircraft. And, in today's article, we’re going to read all about it. Let’s go!

The R36 would be a key pillar of the Soviet nuclear program. It provided a MIRV-capable, heavy launch system. Source: Wikipedia.

The R-36 ICBM

Developed in the 60s by the Yuzhnoye Design Bureau, the R-36 was a MIRV-capable, heavy, intercontinental ballistic missile. With a range of more than 16,000km and a large “throw weight”, the R-36 would play a key role in the hottest periods of the Cold War, helping to hold western territory and assets at risk.

Known to NATO as the SS-9A Scarp, it was a silo-based weapon easily capable of carrying the Soviets' bigger weapons however, its liquid-fueled nature also came with its own unique problems, regarding things like silo storage and weapon response time.

This would be solved in later years as the system would go on to be upgraded to the R-36M. What would eventually become known as the SS-18 Satan would end up being one of the Soviet Union's most feared weapons, delivering security for decades thanks to mutually assured destruction.

Fun Fact: The R-36 and many weapons like it, use hypergolic fuels to achieve high levels of thrust. While providing great combustion characteristics, these fuels are extremely toxic to humans.

The AN-225 Mriya remains the largest aircraft produced by man. She would later be lost in the battle at Hostomel airport. Source: Wikipedia.

The Antonov AN-225 Mriya

Holding the record for the world's largest aircraft, the Mriya would play a key role in providing heavy lift freight services whilst flying the flag for Ukraine globally.

Originally designed to transport the Soviet space shuttle (Buran) Ukraine would end up in possession of the platform at the conclusion of the Cold War. Wasting no time putting the aircraft back into service, Mriya would be flown by a Ukrainian crew and would be an instant hit with aviation fans around the world, drawing large crowds wherever the aircraft was scheduled to attend.

It’s undoubtedly an impressive aircraft however, after the full-scale invasion, Mriya would be destroyed beyond repair on the ground at Hostomel airport. While there are two unworthy variants of the Mriya in storage, it’s unknown at this point if these will be overhauled into flying condition.

Fun Fact: The Mriya, when fully loaded, would have a maximum take-off weight of more than 640,000kg

The Ukrainian shipyards would be an essential part of the Soviet carrier program. So essential, that when the yards stayed in Ukrainian hands after the full-scale invasion, the Kuznetzov would fade into irrelevance. Source: Wikipedia

The Admiral Kuznetsov

While the Americans would invest heavily in both aircraft and aircraft carriers, thanks to geography, the USSR could get away with a much different makeup for its navy. In it, the aircraft carrier would play a minor, almost symbolic role, and the Admiral Kuznetsov would struggle to even fill that role correctly.

With several manufacturing shortcomings, Kuznetsov would lead a long, but troubled life, and in the aftermath of the Cold War, there would be little money for things like crewing and scheduled maintenance. This would be reflected in the make-up of its battle group, as the ship would rarely be seen without a tugboat escort.

While it was more of a floating smokestack with a runway, as opposed to a sign of naval power, the Kuznetsov did carry a wide assortment of missiles that were nothing to be sneezed at.

However, on the other hand, if you’re looking for a reason why preventive maintenance is important, the Kuznetsov is a great study piece.

Fun Fact: The Admiral Kuznetzov was as unlucky as it was incompetent, and as such, an uninspiring career would come to an end in 2018 when it was struck by a crane whilst in drydock. It is not expected to return to active service.

Ukraine giveth and she taketh. She not only produced the Slava-class cruiser Mosskva, she’d also sink it in late 2022, gaining a critical edge in the Black Sea. Source: Wikipedia.

The Slava Class Cruiser

The flagship of the Black Sea fleet, the cruiser Moskva, would play a key role in flying the flag for Russian naval power. While the heavy cruiser would be a formidable foe on paper, thanks to years of underfunding, many of her systems would be degraded or entirely inoperational. This meant that in the right circumstances, she would be extremely vulnerable.

Despite this, Moskva would be seen in numerous global hotspots over the years and would also spend a significant period of time in the Middle East, helping to achieve Russian geopolitical goals.

Moskva would also carry a large component of weapons, which would consist of long and short-range surface-to-air missiles as well as sixteen P-500 anti-ship missiles.

Eventually, she would return to the Black Sea, providing a launch and intelligence platform assisting with strikes within Ukraine. Here, she would operate with reckless impunity before eventually meeting her match, thanks to anti-ship missiles

While the official Russian report states issues with fire, the Ukrainian side of the story is much more interesting.

Fun Fact: When the Ukrainians sent a pair of Neptune anti-ship missiles over the horizon to greet her, multiple failures in her weapons systems meant that the Moskva would be nearly defenceless. Now, she’s a high-tech reef in the Black Sea.

Known to the Soviets as Lira but to the West as the Alfa, the 705K would feature blisteringly fast performance figures. Source: Wikipedia.

Project 705K (Alfa Class Submarine)

While the Soviets would call it the Lira, to the West it would be known simply as the “Alfa class”, and this submarine is a great example of what happens when you have too much titanium and a desire to break depth and speed records.

The original Soviet submarines would be based on developments from the WW2 era U-boats, but with each new iteration, the platforms would become quieter and more respectable with regard to their performance.

Towards the end of the Cold War, this would slowly become more noticeable and nowhere was this more visible than in the performance of the Alfa class. While it wasn’t exactly quiet, it was insanely fast.

The lead-bismuth liquid metal reactor provided huge amounts of power, and its titanium hull meant that its performance would top out at more than 45 knots submerged. And, thanks to heavy automation, it could go to sea with a crew of just 31 sailors.

While it provided a reputable top speed, design flaws meant that it would become one of the first casualties of the Cold War peace dividend.

Fun Fact: If not treated correctly, the Alfa’s liquid metal cooled reactor would eventually solidify. While this could theoretically be repaired, more often than not, it would mean an early retirement for the ship.

Your Donations Matter

While these are mostly historical weapons systems, unfortunately, the reality is that Russian aggression is still a very real threat to some countries.

New bullets cause just as much damage as old ones, and the current situation is that Ukraine has been holding the line against Russian aggression for more than ten years now. Despite many Western analysts predicting they’d last mere days before being overrun, more than 1100 days of full-scale war have proven this theory wrong, time and time again.

One vitally important thing, though, is the ongoing provision of support and aid to Ukraine. This isn’t just weapons and military equipment either. Food, medication and even care packages are all vitally needed and regularly sent.

With many causes to support, one of our favourite fundraisers to suggest to others is the United 24 initiative. A fully-fledged, transparent aid organisation, United24 aims to bring about real change, thanks to the donations of real people, just like yourself.

The United24 humanitarian demining program is our go-to for fundraising options. If you have a few minutes, it’s worth taking the time to have a look and see what they do.

If you found this article insightful, informative, or entertaining, we kindly encourage you to show your support. Clapping for this article not only lets the author know that their work is appreciated but also helps boost its visibility to others who might benefit from it.

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