Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and will later receive four S-400 air defence systems from Moscow as part of a drive to bolster its military capabilities, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Wednesday.
Abiy said on X that the deliveries marked a milestone in Ethiopia’s efforts to strengthen national security and “pre-emptively deter aggression”
Russian President Vladimir Putin had helped ensure the fourth-generation Su-35 military planes were delivered a year earlier than scheduled, Ably added.
He did not disclose the value of the agreement, when the S-400 systems would be delivered or where the aircraft and air defence batteries would be based.
Ethiopia faces multiple security challenges, including in the northern Tigray region, where a rebel alliance last month launched an offensive against the government.
The renewed fighting led to the severing of ties between Ethiopia and its neighbour Eritrea, which Addis Ababa accuses of backing the rebels, although Asmara denies that.
Russian state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec, responsible for Russian arms exports, did not immediately respond to Reuters ‘ request for comment.
