Colourful type from USSR shot by alien (6)
I believe the answer is:
russet
'colourful type' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I can't see?
'ussr shot by alien' is the wordplay.
'shot' is an anagram indicator.
'by' means one lot of letters go next to another.
'alien' becomes 'et' (extra terrestrial).
'ussr' with letters rearranged gives 'russ'.
'russ'+'et'='RUSSET'
'from' is the link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for russet that I've seen before include "Apple - colour" , "Brown; apple variety" , "Brown with a reddish tinge" , "Reddish-brown - not orange!" , "Reddish-brown - type of apple" .)