Ethiopia receives 12 Russian fighter jets as Tigray clashes resume
Ethiopia has received 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as fighting has resumed in Tigray and tensions with neighbouring Eritrea persist. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the delivery a milestone for national defence, saying the aircraft arrived ahead of schedule under an agreement made several years ago.
Abiy said Ethiopia also plans to acquire four Russian S-400 air defence systems, presenting both purchases as protection against external threats. A military analyst said the jets could signal preparation for conflict beyond Ethiopia’s internal fighting and, alongside air defences, help protect cities and critical infrastructure. The latest Tigray clashes began last month; both the government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front accuse the other of breaching the 2022 deal that ended a civil war, while Ethiopia and Eritrea remain at odds.
In short
- Ethiopia received 12 Su-35 jets from Russia.
- Abiy says four S-400 air defence systems are planned.
- The purchases come amid renewed Tigray fighting and Eritrea tensions.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A government facing renewed clashes, regional tensions and the risk of threats to cities or critical infrastructure can reasonably argue that modern fighters and air defences are needed to protect the country and deter attack. Abiy’s account that the jets fulfil an earlier agreement also presents the delivery as planned defence modernisation rather than evidence of an imminent offensive.
The case against
Critics can reasonably question whether acquiring advanced combat aircraft and air defences amid renewed Tigray fighting risks escalating tensions and diverting resources from diplomacy or domestic needs. The purchases may also be read by neighbouring states as preparation for wider conflict, increasing mistrust even if the government describes them as defensive.
Explained simply
Ethiopia is a large country in the Horn of Africa, led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is a political and military force in the northern region of Tigray; it fought Ethiopia’s federal government in a civil war that ended with a 2022 agreement.
That agreement was intended to stop the fighting, but disputes over whether its terms have been followed have persisted. Ethiopia also has a strained relationship with neighbouring Eritrea, with which it fought a border war from 1998 to 2000.
The Su-35 is a Russian-made fighter aircraft, while the S-400 is a system designed to detect and intercept aircraft and missiles. Their planned use matters because Ethiopia faces both internal tensions and regional uncertainty, and military purchases can affect how neighbouring countries assess its capabilities.
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Originally published by BBC World as “Ethiopia acquires Russian fighter jets and air defence systems amid war in Tigray”.