Ethiopia has received its first 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets a year ahead of schedule and plans to acquire four batteries of the S-400 long-range air defense system, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) announced, without disclosing the delivery timeline for the missile systems.
The prime minister announced the delivery on social media while in Russia for the third Russia–Africa Summit, thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin for the early transfer under an existing agreement between the two governments.
“In accordance with our prior agreement with the Russian government, we have today taken delivery of the first twelve Su-35 4++ Generation fighter jets,” he wrote.
RELATED POSTS
Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport also confirmed the delivery of the first batch of Su-35 aircraft to the Ethiopian Air Force.
“We have delivered the first batch of Su-35 aircraft to the Ethiopian Air Force,” Rosoboronexport chief executive Alexander Mikheyev said in an interview with the Vesti television channel, as reported by Russia’s state news agency TASS.
Mikheyev said African countries account for more than 30 percent of Rosoboronexport’s current order portfolio, adding that the company was continuing to pursue defense cooperation across the continent.
The Su-35 is a twin-engine, multirole fighter designed for air combat and ground-attack missions. The S-400 is a long-range surface-to-air missile system designed to intercept aircraft and certain types of missiles.
Ethiopia’s interest in acquiring the Su-35 emerged publicly in October 2025, when a hacking group known as Black Mirror released files purportedly taken from Russian state defense conglomerate Rostec. The documents reportedly listed a contract for six Su-35 fighters for Ethiopia. Neither Rostec nor the Ethiopian government commented publicly on the reported deal at the time.
Abiy’s announcement of 12 aircraft did not clarify the total number of fighters Ethiopia has ordered.
Ethiopia has operated Russian-designed combat aircraft for more than two decades. It acquired Su-27 fighters in the late 1990s and used them during its 1998–2000 border war with Eritrea. In January 2024, the country inducted Su-30K fighters, believed to have been originally built for the Indian Air Force, along with Turkish-made Akıncı drones.
The S-400 system is also in service with China, India, and Turkey. The United States imposed sanctions on Turkey’s defense procurement agency in 2020 following Ankara’s purchase of the Russian system.
The announcement comes amid rising tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Russia has offered to host talks between the two countries, Addis Standard reported.
Abiy said the new military equipment would help Ethiopia deter aggression and support regional stability.
