I did not know that. Looked it up and it is true. I am guessing that since the Soviets gave these weapons away for free or for barter goods (raw materials rather than cash) they did not make them as good as the originals to keep down costs and to also to make sure if need be the USSR was still able to keep down their client states militarily.
“Monkey model” redirects here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Export_variants_of_Soviet_military_equipment
Export variants of Soviet military equipment were versions of Soviet military equipment (armored vehicles, airplanes, missiles) of significantly inferior capability to the original designs and intended only for export. Monkey model was the unofficial designation given by the Soviet Military to such variants. The monkey model was exported with the same or a similar designation as the original Soviet design but in fact it lacked many of the advanced or expensive features of the original.
WOW!! Do you think they were the only ones who did that? I’ve never heard of such a thing before.
But it’s a good way to make sure you can beat whoever you sell them to in a war, or an uprising.