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2026-10-29 Africa Horn

Ethiopia Says It Acquired 12 Russian Fighter Jets Amid Rising Tensions With Eritrea

[GaroweOnline] Æthiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and expects to receive four S-400 air defense systems from Moscow, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Wednesday, as tensions with neighboring Eritrea
...is run by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with about the amounts of democracy and justice you'd expect from a party with that name. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; none have ever been held in the country. The president, Isaias Afewerki, has been in office since independence in 1993 and will probably die there of old age...
escalate.

Abiy said the aircraft arrived a year ahead of schedule, crediting Russian President Vladimir Putin

...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
for helping accelerate the delivery. He described the acquisitions as a milestone in strengthening Æthiopia’s national security and deterring potential aggression.

The announcement comes amid a worsening dispute between Æthiopia and Eritrea, which have exchanged accusations over military activity along their shared border and support for gangs in Æthiopia’s northern Tigray region.

The two countries severed diplomatic ties in early October, deepening concerns that renewed fighting in northern Æthiopia could spill across the border. Their relationship has tanked in recent years, despite a 2018 peace agreement that ended decades of hostility.

Æthiopia has called for sovereign access to the Red Sea, a demand that has heightened tensions with Eritrea, which controls a strategic stretch of the coastline.

The Su-35 is a Russian-made multirole fighter designed for air combat and ground-attack missions. The aircraft can reach speeds of about 2,400 kilometers per hour at high altitude and is capable of operating over long distances.

The S-400 is a Russian long-range air defense system designed to track and intercept aircraft and various types of missiles. Abiy did not say when the systems would be delivered or where the aircraft and defense batteries would be deployed.

He also did not disclose the value of the deal.

Æthiopia faces multiple security challenges, including renewed fighting in Tigray, where festivities between federal forces and gangs have threatened a 2022 agreement that ended a devastating two-year war.

The country’s military has used drones and other imported weapons in recent conflicts. The acquisition of the Russian aircraft and air defense systems could expand its military capabilities, though the effect on regional security will depend on their deployment and operational readiness.Unable to connect to Postgres server!

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Posted by trailing wife 2026-10-29 2026-10-29 02:27|| E-Mail|| Front Page|| ||Comments [44 views ] Top

1 [TWZ] Ethiopia Gets 12 Russian Su-35 Fighters, Eyes S-400 Air Defenses

n a surprising development, Ethiopia has taken receipt of 12 Russian-made Su-35 multirole fighters, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced, adding a significant new capability to the Ethiopian Air Force. The agreement also calls for four batteries of Russia’s S-400 surface-to-air missile system, although their delivery schedule remains unclear.

Abiy said the fighters arrived a year ahead of schedule under an agreement with Moscow and thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for facilitating the accelerated delivery. The financial terms of the deal, the aircraft’s basing locations, and whether additional fighters are included in the agreement have not been disclosed. The Ethiopian leader announced the development on his X account, also posting photos and a video showing himself and other Ethiopian and Russian officials alongside two of the jets. The location appears to have been the third Russia-Africa Summit, taking place in Moscow on October 28-29.

The acquisition comes as Ethiopia seeks to strengthen its military capabilities amid persistent domestic security challenges and tensions across the Horn of Africa.

The Su-35 is a heavily modernized derivative of the Soviet-era Su-27, known by NATO as the Flanker. It combines twin thrust-vectoring engines for a high degree of maneuverability, advanced radar and other sensors, and the ability to carry a range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons.

Its radar and long-range air-to-air missile capabilities, in particular, represent a notable improvement for Ethiopia’s ability to detect and engage hostile aircraft, while its multirole design allows it to perform a wide range of strike missions.

Ethiopia already operates Russian-designed Su-27 fighters, providing a considerable degree of familiarity with the Flanker family. The current fleet comprises around 10 (and perhaps as many as 15) secondhand Su-27s, including two-seaters, supplemented in 2024 by a pair of Su-30Ks. The latter were originally produced for India as interim equipment, and then ended up in storage in Belarus before being refurbished and delivered to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Flankers saw action against Eritrean opposition in the 1990s, and there have also been a handful of non-combat attrition losses.

The planned acquisition of four S-400 batteries could prove equally significant.

The S-400 is a mobile air-defense system designed to engage aircraft, cruise missiles, and certain ballistic missile threats.

If delivered, the systems would considerably strengthen Ethiopia’s ability to protect military installations, critical infrastructure, and other strategic sites against aerial attack.

Ethiopia occupies a strategically important position in the Horn of Africa, bordering Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan. Its security environment includes various unresolved regional tensions, longstanding border disputes, and internal armed conflicts.

Ethiopia’s relationship with Eritrea remains particularly relevant given their history of war and continuing tensions. Relations with Egypt and Sudan are also shaped by disputes over the Nile.

Abiy has presented the acquisition as a means of deterring aggression and strengthening national sovereignty.

At the same time, the delivery reinforces Russia’s position as a supplier of advanced military equipment to African countries. Russian exports to the continent have included combat aircraft, helicopters, armored vehicles, and ground-based air-defense systems.

Su-35s, specifically, have previously been delivered to Algeria, a long-term recipient of Russian military equipment on the African continent, as you can read about here.

Posted by Skidmark 2026-10-29 06:22|| 2026-10-29 06:22|| Front Page || Comments Top

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