Why the Kuznetsov class mixed fighters and heavy missiles

Did the Kuznetsov class make sense, or did its missile battery compromise the carrier role?

It made sense for the available Soviet force because carrier aircraft were limited and short-ranged while long-range missiles supplied reliable striking power.

The Soviet Navy could not rely on a large force of long-legged carrier aircraft. Early candidates such as the Flogger were weak for the mission, while better aircraft appeared only in small numbers. Heavy missiles therefore supplied reach and striking power that the air group could not consistently provide. The hybrid design looks less eccentric when judged against the actual aircraft and missile inventory available at the time.