Ethiopia receives 12 Su-35 jets, plans S-400 air defence systems from Russia

Ethiopia has received its first 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia and announced plans to acquire four S-400 air defence batteries, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced during the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28–29, 2026. The warplanes were delivered approximately one year ahead of schedule under an existing agreement between the two governments. Abiy expressed gratitude to Russian President Vladimir Putin for expediting the delivery and stated that Ethiopia had become the first sub-Saharan African nation to operate this generation of advanced combat aircraft.

The Su-35 jets are equipped for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat with radar capable of detecting and neutralizing incoming cruise missiles at distances of up to 200 kilometers, according to Abiy's statement. He emphasized that the new military hardware would strengthen Ethiopia's ability to "preemptively deter aggression" and protect critical infrastructure, including the Renaissance Dam. The S-400 air defence systems, designed to shoot down aircraft and missiles, would be delivered at a later date to be confirmed.

The acquisition comes amid renewed armed clashes in northern Ethiopia. Since late September 2026, government forces have engaged the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) in the Tigray region and faced a separate armed rebellion by Fano in the Amhara region. In early October, Addis Ababa severed diplomatic ties with neighbouring Eritrea, which Ethiopia accuses of backing the TPLF—a claim Eritrea denies. The fighting has effectively undone a peace agreement signed in November 2022 that had ended a two-year civil war.

Russia and Ethiopia have developed military-technical cooperation over several years. In July 2021, the two sides signed agreements aimed at modernizing the Ethiopian armed forces, transferring technology, and training military specialists. Ethiopia has also acquired Russian Yak-130 advanced jet trainers, displayed during celebrations of the Ethiopian air force's 90th anniversary in January 2026. Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa's weapons imports between 2021 and 2025, making it the continent's third-largest military supplier, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Abiy stated that both the fighter jets and air defence systems had been agreed upon several years ago in response to global air force trends and security threats facing the country. He also highlighted Ethiopia's use of military drones sourced from Turkey and China in recent conflicts, noting the importance of combining drone capabilities with advanced fighter aircraft for national defence.