Ethiopia acquires Russian fighter jets and air defence systems amid war in Tigray

Ethiopia acquires Russian fighter jets and air defence systems amid war in Tigray

The acquisition of fighter jets comes amid ongoing tensions with Eritrea

Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia as fighting escalated in the northern Tigray region, which borders Eritrea.

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

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

The Ethiopian leader said the military equipment was necessary to shield the country from external threats.

Abiy, who described Russian President Vladimir Putin "as a close friend of Ethiopia", said Ethiopia had become the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to possess 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.

Russia and Ethiopia have concluded several military agreements in recent years, including a 2021 deal to train the military and improve its technology.

Abiy said Ethiopia signed an agreement with Russia several years ago to obtain the Su-35 jets and S-400 systems, pointing to global air force trends and the security threats the country faces.

He said the Su-35 is designed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, and can detect and neutralize incoming cruise missiles at distances of up to 200 kilometers.

Military intelligence analyst Qalaab Segatu told BBC Amharic that Ethiopia's purchase of more warplanes was a major sign that "it was preparing for possible wars with other countries, not just internal conflicts".

He said the jets are highly maneuverable and can cover large areas, with radars able to secure air superiority and conduct long-range scanning.

Together, the fighter jets and air defence systems "create a significant capability to protect and defend major cities and critical infrastructure such as the Renaissance Dam, providing key strategic air superiority," Qalaab said.

Abiy said that beyond the advanced capabilities of the Russian aircraft, drones were also vital in strengthening deterrence.

Ethiopia has made extensive use of military drones, including those obtained from Turkey and China, in recent conflicts.

"We need to build capacity not only with drones, but also with the fourth generation capabilities of the Su 30 and Su 35 [aircraft]," Abiy said.

The latest Russian military hardware acquisition comes after the current conflict in northern Tigray began last month between the government and the party that controls Tigray, the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

Both sides accuse each other of breaching a 2022 agreement that ended a civil war.

Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of supporting the TPLF, which Eritrea denies.

Tensions between the two countries have also continued as Abiy describes Ethiopia's lack of direct sea access as an "existential question", something Eritrea sees as a direct threat to its sovereignty.

Eritrea became independent in 1993 after a decades-long war with Ethiopia, leaving Ethiopia without access to the sea.