Ethiopia receives Russian Su-35 jets and plans S-400 purchase

What happened

Ethiopia has received 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia, as fighting intensified in the northern Tigray region neighbouring Eritrea ¹. Ethiopia also plans to acquire four S-400 air defence systems from Moscow ².

According to Al Jazeera, the announcement follows a major shift in the fighting in Tigray, where government troops and allied forces entered the regional capital Mekelle on October 4 ³. Al Jazeera reports that the Russia-Africa Summit began on Wednesday, bringing African leaders together for talks on trade, investment and security ⁴.

What is confirmed

Two claims are established by reporting from both BBC and Al Jazeera. The first is the delivery of 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia to Ethiopia ¹. The second is that Ethiopia will acquire four S-400 air defence batteries ².

BBC reports that Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia had now become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to own this kind of advanced combat technology, and described Vladimir Putin as a close friend of Ethiopia ⁵.

Where the accounts differ

The two blocs frame the story differently. European media, as represented by BBC, centres Ethiopia's actions and words, foregrounding the acquisition of Russian fighter jets and air defence systems and the country's stated need to build this capability to survive in the region, describing the Su-35 as advanced combat technology ¹². Middle East state media, as represented by Al Jazeera, centres the acquisition itself, foregrounding Abiy's statement that the equipment would strengthen Ethiopia's ability to preemptively deter aggression, and notes Russia's role as a major arms supplier to Africa ⁶⁷.

On the regional dispute, BBC reports that Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which Eritrea denies ⁸.

What is not known yet

Several elements rest on single outlets. Abiy's statement that the equipment will strengthen Ethiopia's ability to preemptively deter aggression was reported only by Al Jazeera ⁶. Putin's statement that Russia and Ethiopia stand together in international affairs was reported only by Al Jazeera ⁹. The figure that Russia supplied 15 percent of African imports of major weapons in 2021–2025 was reported only by Al Jazeera ⁷. Bilateral trade exceeding $1.3bn in January-September was reported only by Al Jazeera ¹⁰.

BBC alone reports that Abiy said surviving as a country in the region will become difficult without sufficient preparation ¹¹, that the Su-35 can detect and neutralize incoming cruise missiles at distances of up to 200 kilometers ¹², and that Ethiopia signed a deal with Russia in 2021 to train and improve technology for the military ¹³. BBC alone reports that Eritrea gained independence in 1993 after a decades-long war with Ethiopia ¹⁴.

Al Jazeera alone reports that a peace agreement was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022 ¹⁵, and that about 500,000 civilians were killed in two years of fighting in Tigray, citing researchers at Belgium's Ghent University ¹⁶. The ledger does not state a delivery timeline for the S-400 batteries or the terms of the arrangement.

Why it matters

The confirmed deliveries make Ethiopia a holder of advanced Russian combat aircraft, a status BBC reports Abiy described as a first for sub-Saharan Africa ¹⁵. This suggests a deepening defence relationship between Moscow and Addis Ababa, consistent with the 2021 training and technology deal reported by BBC ¹³.

If the S-400 plans proceed as reported, Ethiopia would add a layered air defence capability to its new aircraft ². Analysis: the timing, with fighting intensifying in Tigray and a dispute with Eritrea that Asmara denies, indicates the acquisitions are being presented as a deterrent signal in a volatile neighbourhood ¹⁸.