Ethiopia Receives Russian Jets and Air Defenses Early Amid Tigray War
WHO:
Al Jazeera - Risk analyst Benedict Manzin said the systems could address conventional air threats; he noted that small, inexpensive drones can overwhelm conventional air defenses.
Bloomberg Markets - Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the military equipment delivery.
BBC News - Ethiopia acquired Russian fighter jets and air defense systems; fighting involved forces in the northern Tigray region.
WHAT:
Al Jazeera - Russia and Ethiopia’s bilateral trade exceeded $1.3 billion in January–September, more than twice the total for all of 2025, according to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Al Jazeera - Russia supplied 15% of African imports of major weapons in 2021–2025, behind the United States at 19% and China at 17%, according to SIPRI.
Al Jazeera - Ethiopia’s renewed Tigray fighting has effectively unraveled the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, which ended a two-year war.
Al Jazeera - Tigray forces withdrew from Mekelle, after which Ethiopia’s government installed a six-month caretaker administration; rebel commanders said they would continue fighting.
Bloomberg Markets - Ethiopia received 12 Su-35 fighter jets and four S-400 air defense system batteries from Russia.
BBC News - Ethiopia acquired Russian fighter jets and air defense systems amid fighting in Tigray.
WHERE:
Bloomberg Markets - Abiy Ahmed announced the delivery during a visit to Moscow.
BBC News - Fighting was taking place in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
WHY:
Al Jazeera - Experts said Russia seeks arms-sale revenue and diplomatic influence in Africa; the weapons partnership also involves military technology, knowledge, training, maintenance and replacement equipment.
Al Jazeera - Experts said Ethiopia’s arms purchases bolster its military amid conflict at home and tensions with Eritrea.
BBC News - The acquisition came amid ongoing fighting in Tigray.
HOW:
Bloomberg Markets - Abiy Ahmed announced that the Russian equipment had been delivered ahead of schedule.
BBC News - The article said the Tigray fighting had started “last month.”
(UPDATED October 29, 2026 19:04 UTC)
Ethiopia has received 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and four S-400 air-defense batteries, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced during a visit to Moscow, saying they arrived ahead of schedule. The delivery comes as fighting has renewed in the northern Tigray region, unraveling the 2022 peace agreement; Tigray forces have withdrawn from Mekelle, and rebel commanders say they will continue fighting. Analysts say the equipment strengthens Ethiopia’s military amid domestic conflict and tensions with Eritrea, while Russia seeks arms revenue and greater diplomatic influence in Africa.
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(UPDATED October 29, 2026 10:02 UTC)
Ethiopia has received 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and four S-400 air defense batteries, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced during a visit to Moscow. He said the equipment was delivered ahead of schedule. The acquisition comes amid ongoing fighting in the northern Tigray region.