That's the point: traditionally, the VVS and then the VKS trained very little.

Whenever they tried to fly more intensively, the result were crashes.

That's the point: traditionally, the VVS and then the VKS trained very little. For most of the last 20-30 years, that was 20, 40, perhaps 80 hours a year. Most of training consisted of 'rounds around the air base', for pilots/crews to 'maintain their proficiency on the type'.

Whenever they tried to fly more intensively, the result were crashes.