Ethiopia Takes Delivery of 12 Russian Fighter Jets amid Rising Tensions with Eritrea
Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has announced, as tensions with neighbouring Eritrea continue to escalate.
The minister made the disclosure on Wednesday on the sidelines of the third Russia-Africa summit in Moscow, describing the acquisition as a major boost to Ethiopia’s defence capabilities.
The Ethiopian leader also announced plans to acquire four batteries of Russia’s S-400 air defence system, although he provided no details on the delivery timeline.
The announcement comes amid heightened military tensions along the Ethiopia-Eritrea border, where Ethiopian forces have reportedly advanced towards Eritrean territory in recent weeks after repelling an offensive by rebels backed by Eritrea in the northern Tigray region.
Relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply, with both sides breaking diplomatic ties this month.
Despite the diplomatic fallout, Abiy and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki are attending the Russia-Africa summit, which opened in Moscow on Wednesday and brings together delegations from 48 African countries.
Russia has expressed interest in easing tensions between the two Horn of Africa neighbours. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow was willing to facilitate contact between their leaders and support efforts to normalise relations.
The dispute is rooted partly in Ethiopia’s longstanding desire for reliable access to the Red Sea. Eritrea, which gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, fears that its landlocked neighbour could resort to military action to secure access to the strategic waterway.
The latest weapons delivery could strengthen Ethiopia’s air power, but it also comes at a sensitive moment for regional security, raising questions about the potential impact on an already fragile relationship between the two countries.
Ethiopia has maintained close ties with Moscow, including opposing a United Nations resolution in March 2022 demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.
With diplomatic relations strained and military activity increasing near their shared border, attention will now turn to whether the Russia-Africa summit can create an opening for dialogue—or whether the latest developments will deepen tensions in the Horn of Africa.
