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MapAbiy Ahmed Says Ethiopia Received 12 Russian Su-35 Jets, Plans Four S-400 Batteries
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Ethiopia takes delivery of 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets Four S-400 air defense batteries to be acquired
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Su-35 and S-400 Arrive
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on X that Ethiopia received 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and would also acquire four S-400 air defence batteries during a visit to Moscow for the two-day Russia-Africa Summit. The announcement came as Ethiopian forces fought renewed battles with rebels in northern Tigray and a separate rebellion in the neighbouring Amhara region, with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front withdrawing from the regional capital Mekelle on October 4. Rosoboronexport confirmed the delivery of the first batch of Su-35 to Ethiopia, and the Su-35s were described as a modernization compared to the Soviet-made Su-27s that formed the core of the Ethiopian Air Force.
Abiy Ahmed said the jets arrived a year earlier than expected under an existing agreement with Moscow, and he thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping speed up the delivery. Abiy Ahmed also said the new equipment would strengthen Ethiopia’s ability to “preemptively deter aggression” while giving no date for the arrival of the S-400 batteries.
Abiy, Putin, and Moscow
Abiy Ahmed used his official X account to frame the delivery as a milestone, saying, “I would like to express my gratitude to my friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin for his dedication in ensuring we received these warplanes a year ahead of our agreed schedule.” In accordance with our prior agreement with the Russian government, Abiy Ahmed said, “we have today taken delivery of the first twelve Su-35 4++ Generation fighter jets.” Abiy Ahmed announced on 28 October that Ethiopia had taken delivery of the first 12 Su-35s and would receive four S-400 batteries, and his office released photographs and a video showing two Su-35s with the Ethiopian flag on their tails.
The eventual arrival of the S-400 would expand Ethiopia’s air defense capabilities in a tense Horn of Africa context and deteriorating relations with Eritrea. The specifics of the arms agreement, including the value, delivery timeline of the S-400s, and deployment locations, remained undisclosed by Ethiopian officials.
Regional Tensions and Trade
The Russia-Africa Summit began on Wednesday and brought African leaders together for talks on trade, investment and security, with Russia seeking closer security and economic ties with African countries. Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa’s imports of major weapons between 2021 and 2025, making it the continent’s third-largest supplier, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Alexander Mikheev noted that African countries account for more than 30% of Rosoboronexport’s order book, and the operation was described as confirming the continuity of Russia’s defense exports to Africa.
The renewed war in Tigray effectively undid a peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022 that ended two years of fighting, which researchers at Belgium’s Ghent University estimate killed about 500,000 civilians. Abiy Ahmed linked the acquisition to Eritrea tensions and described the delivery as “a major step towards strengthening Ethiopia’s military deterrence capabilities,” while also stating that Ethiopia will receive four S-400 air defense system batteries.