Ethiopia Says It Has Received 12 Russian Fighter Jets as Tensions With Eritrea Intensify
MOSCOW, Russia — Ethiopia has received 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and is set to take delivery of four S-400 air defense systems from Moscow, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Wednesday, as relations with neighboring Eritrea continue to deteriorate.
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Abiy said the jets arrived a year earlier than scheduled, attributing the accelerated delivery to assistance from Russian President Vladimir Putin. He presented the purchases as a major step toward reinforcing Ethiopia’s national security and deterring possible aggression.
The announcement comes as Ethiopia and Eritrea trade accusations over military operations along their border and alleged support for armed groups in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region.
The neighboring countries cut diplomatic ties in early October, raising fears that renewed conflict in northern Ethiopia could spread across the border. Relations have worsened in recent years despite a 2018 peace agreement that brought an end to decades of hostility.
Ethiopia has also demanded sovereign access to the Red Sea, a position that has added to tensions with Eritrea, which controls a strategically important section of the coastline.
The Su-35 is a Russian multirole fighter built for both air-to-air combat and ground-attack operations. At high altitude, the aircraft can reach speeds of about 2,400 kilometers per hour and is designed for long-range missions.
Russia’s S-400 is a long-range air defense system capable of detecting and intercepting aircraft as well as several types of missiles. Abiy did not provide a delivery timetable or say where the fighter jets and air defense systems would be stationed.
He also did not reveal the financial value of the agreement.
Ethiopia is confronting several security threats, including renewed violence in Tigray. Fighting between federal forces and armed groups has put pressure on a 2022 agreement that ended a devastating two-year war in the region.
The Ethiopian military has relied on drones and other imported weapons during recent conflicts. The Russian aircraft and air defense systems could broaden the country’s military reach, although their impact on regional security will depend on how they are deployed and how quickly they become operational.
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