Russia doesn’t need much help building airframes. Bent metal they can do; composites a bit more of a problem, but aerostructures they get.
It’s engines and avionics that they are weak on. Note the initial engines will be GE. The Chinese can make up the difference on avionics, although the software in this case is the real problem.
Not surprising they are going this direction. A third major airframe supplier was inevitable considering Boeing’s dominance at the moment.
Assuming all of Eastern Europe is not a smoking ruin by then due to all out war...
You’d think that watching the 787 unfold the way it did would convince folks that building a commercial heavy is way harder than Boeing made it look. Even Mitsubishi couldn’t get their part of it right.
But does Russia have any experience building really big aircraft?