Ethiopia takes delivery of 12 Russian jets amid northern conflicts

Twelve Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets have arrived in Ethiopia, arriving a year earlier than scheduled under an existing contract. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed confirmed the delivery on social media on Wednesday, citing a direct request to Russian President Vladimir Putin to expedite the process. The new aircraft are intended to defend Ethiopian airspace, according to Ahmed.

The delivery is the latest development in a growing military partnership between Addis Ababa and Moscow. The two governments signed a cooperation agreement in July 2021 to improve training and technology for the Ethiopian armed forces. In January, Ethiopian officials displayed newly acquired Russian Yak-130 jet trainers during the air force’s 90th anniversary celebrations. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa’s major weapons imports between 2021 and 2025, ranking as the continent’s third-largest supplier.

Ahmed announced the news while in Moscow for the two-day Russia-Africa Summit, where leaders discussed trade, investment, and security ties. The prime minister stated that the new equipment would allow Ethiopia to preemptively deter aggression. He also revealed plans to acquire four S-400 air defense batteries, which are designed to intercept aircraft and missiles. No specific arrival date was given for these systems.

The military upgrades coincide with renewed fighting in Ethiopia’s northern regions. Government troops and allied forces entered Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region, on October 4 after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) withdrew. Since then, federal forces have advanced into other towns, and a six-month caretaker administration has been appointed. A TPLF commander called for continued resistance in a television broadcast last week, and the group claimed attacks on government-aligned troops in northwestern Tigray on Wednesday.

The current conflict has largely overturned a peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022. That treaty ended two years of fighting that researchers at Ghent University estimated killed approximately 500,000 civilians. In a separate front, federal forces are battling the Fano group in the Amhara region, a conflict that has persisted since 2023.

Ahmed’s announcement underscores Moscow’s strategic push to deepen security ties with African nations while facing Western sanctions related to the war in Ukraine. The summit serves as a platform for these discussions, with Russia seeking to expand its influence on the continent. The Ethiopian government now possesses a larger inventory of advanced Russian hardware, a shift that reflects the evolving balance of military alliances in East Africa.

The Su-35 jets are now part of the Ethiopian Air Force inventory. The S-400 batteries remain pending delivery. The Tigray front sees continued skirmishes despite the caretaker administration. The Amhara front remains active with Fano fighters. The Russia-Africa Summit continues in Moscow with leaders from both continents in attendance.