Ethiopia received Russian fighter jets and plans to acquire air-defence systems, Abiy said
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Wednesday that Ethiopia would receive 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and four S-400 air-defense batteries. Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport told Reuters that the first batch, comprising two jets, had been delivered. The deal’s value and deployment locations remain undisclosed, as renewed fighting follows a September rebel offensive in Tigray.
More context
Ethiopia has received Russian Su-35 fighter jets and plans to acquire S-400 air-defence systems, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Wednesday. Abiy said the agreement covers 12 Su-35s and four S-400 batteries. Russia’s state arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, confirmed to Reuters that the first batch—two jets—had been delivered to the Ethiopian Air Force. The deal’s value, the S-400 delivery schedule and the systems’ deployment locations have not been disclosed.
The announcement comes amid renewed fighting in Tigray, where a rebel alliance launched an offensive in September. The conflict follows the 2020-22 war, which killed hundreds of thousands of people. Ethiopia also has strained relations with Eritrea: Addis Ababa accuses Asmara of supporting the Tigray rebels, an allegation Eritrea denies.
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Reporting
- Somalia Today — Ethiopia receives Russian fighter jets, S-400 systems to follow
- Business Insider — Ethiopia takes delivery of 12 Su-35 Russian fighter jets ahead of schedule as regional tensions rise | Business Insider Africa
- Operativ Məlumat Mərkəzi — Ethiopia receives 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets, plans to acquire S-400 systems
- chimpreports.com — Ethiopia Buys 12 Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets, Orders S-400 Air Defence Batteries Amid Eritrea Tensions | ChimpReports
- fakti.bg — Moscow Arms Ethiopia: First Su-35s Delivered, S-400s Expected ᐉ News from Fakti.bg - World | ФАКТИ.БГ
Verifier’s note
Somalia Today, ChimpReports, and Business Insider Africa report the Russian fighter-jet delivery and planned S-400 acquisition amid renewed Tigray fighting. Fakti.bg and OperativMM also report the acquisition, though they do not appear to add independent reporting.