Ethiopia receives Russian Su-35 jets as Tigray conflict escalates
Ethiopia took delivery of 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets on Wednesday, with four S-400 air defence systems also en route, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced from the Russia-Africa summit in Moscow. Abiy called the delivery—arriving a year ahead of schedule—a milestone making Ethiopia the first sub-Saharan nation with such advanced combat technology, essential he said for national survival in a volatile region.
The military upgrade comes as fighting reignites in northern Tigray. Government and allied forces retook Mekelle on Sunday after the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) said it temporarily withdrew from the regional capital. Eritrean troops crossed into Tigray in early October, sharply escalating tensions and raising fears of a wider regional war.
Abiy described Vladimir Putin as a close friend of Ethiopia, underscoring Moscow's deepening military and diplomatic footprint in Africa. The summit itself is widely seen as Putin's push to expand Russian influence across the continent.
For African observers, this signals a shift: advanced Russian weaponry flowing directly into an active conflict zone, potentially altering regional power balances. The question now is whether this hardware deters further escalation or fuels it.