Ethiopia Acquires 12 Russian Su-35 Fighter Jets

Ethiopia has acquired 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as fighting intensifies in the northern Tigray region bordering Eritrea.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is attending the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, described the acquisition as a "milestone" that would boost Ethiopia's defence capacity.

He said Ethiopia and Russia agreed on the deal several years ago and the warplanes had come ahead of schedule. He also said that Ethiopia had plans to acquire four S-400 air defence systems from Moscow.

The Ethiopian leader said the military hardware was essential to protect the country from external threats.

Abiy, who described Russian President Vladimir Putin "as a close friend of Ethiopia", said Ethiopia had now become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to own this kind of "advanced combat technology."

"If we fail to build this capability, surviving as a country in our region will become difficult. Countries with sufficient preparation are not easily defied," he said.

Abiy explained that the Su-35 is equipped for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, with the ability to detect and neutralize incoming cruise missiles at distances of up to 200 kilometers.

Military intelligence analyst Qalaab Segatu told BBC Amharic that Ethiopia's acquisition of additional warplanes was a key indication that "it was preparing for possible wars with other countries, not just internal conflicts".

The latest acquisition comes after the current conflict in northern Tigray started last month between the government and the party that controls Tigray, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF). Both sides blame each other for violating a 2022 deal that ended the civil war.

Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing the TPLF, which it denies. Tensions between the two countries have also persisted as Abiy terms Ethiopia's lack of direct sea access an "existential question", which Eritrea views as a direct threat to its sovereignty.