Ethiopia announces Su-35, S-400 acquisitions

One of two Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighters with Ethiopian markings seen during Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's visit to Zhukovsky International Airport. (Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia )

Ethiopia is in the process of acquiring Su-35 multirole fighters and S-400 long-range air defence systems from Russia, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced during a visit to Moscow on 28 October.

In a statement, he said Ethiopia had taken delivery of the first 12 Su-35s and will receive four S-400 batteries. His office released photographs and a video showing two Su-35s (2551 and 2552) with the Ethiopian flag on their tails during Abiy's visit to a location that could be identified as Zhukovsky International Airport, near Moscow, where he was attending the third Russia-Africa summit on 28-29 October.

“I would like to express my gratitude to my friend, Russian President Vladimir Putin, for his dedication in ensuring we received these warplanes a year ahead of our agreed schedule,” Abiy said.

An Ethiopian Su-35 order was not previously confirmed. While purported Russian defence industry documents leaked in October 2025 indicated Addis Ababa ordered six in 2022, they did not refer to an Su-35 order from Algeria, which began receiving the type earlier this year.

It was revealed in January 2024 that the Ethiopian Air Force had received two Su-30 multirole fighters to supplement its existing fleet of Su-27s.

The Ethiopian Air Force has also reinforced its Soviet-era S-75 and S-125 air-defence systems with Russian Pantsir-S1 short-range systems, as well as Krasukha-4 and Moskva-1 electronic warfare systems.

For more, please see: Ethiopia displays new Yak-130 jets