Ethiopia says it has received 12 Russian Su-35 jets, with four S-400 systems to follow
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on X that Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian Su-35 fighters a year early and will later receive four S-400 air defence systems, as fighting continues in Tigray and Amhara.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Wednesday 28 October 2026 that Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and will later receive four S-400 air defence systems from Russia. The Straits TimesRC “Ethiopia has taken delivery of 12 Russian-made Su-35 fighter jets and will later receive four S-400 air defence systems from Moscow” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Ethiopia has received 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets and will also acquire four S-400 air defence batteries” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2Abiy made the announcement on X, saying the deliveries were a milestone for national security and would help Ethiopia "pre-emptively deter aggression"; Al Jazeera says he was in Moscow for the two-day Russia-Africa Summit. The Straits TimesRC “"pre-emptively deter aggression"” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “during a visit to Moscow for the two-day Russia-Africa Summit” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Mixed · 2He said Russian President Vladimir Putin had helped ensure the jets arrived a year earlier than scheduled; Al Jazeera adds that this was under an existing agreement with Moscow. The Straits TimesRC “Russian President Vladimir Putin had helped ensure the fourth-generation Su-35 military planes were delivered a year earlier than scheduled” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “thanking Russian President Vladimir Putin for helping speed up the delivery” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Left · 1In a second X post later that day, Abiy described the jets as newly deployed and said they would defend Ethiopian airspace. Al JazeeraLC “In a second X post later that day, he described the jets as newly deployed and said they would defend Ethiopian airspace.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Right · 1Abiy did not disclose the value of the deal, when the S-400 systems would arrive, or where the aircraft and batteries would be based; Rostec, Russia's state arms exporter, did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The Straits TimesRC “Abiy 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”“Rostec, responsible for Russian arms exports, did not immediately respond to a request for comment” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Mixed · 2The announcement comes amid renewed war in Tigray, which Reuters says began when a rebel alliance launched an offensive last month, and a separate rebellion by the Fano group in Amhara. The Straits TimesRC “a rebel alliance last month launched an offensive against the government, rekindling a war that killed hundreds of thousands of people between 2020 and 2022” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Al JazeeraLC “Government forces are also battling Fano, an Amhara armed group that has been fighting federal troops since 2023.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Left · 1Al Jazeera reports that government and allied troops entered the Tigrayan capital Mekelle on 4 October after Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) fighters withdrew, that Addis Ababa appointed a six-month caretaker administration, and that fighting continues, with the TPLF claiming attacks in northwestern Tigray on Wednesday. Al JazeeraLC “government troops and allied forces entered the regional capital Mekelle on October 4 after fighters from the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) withdrew”“Addis Ababa has since appointed a six-month caretaker administration for Tigray, but the fighting has not stopped.” Read at Al Jazeera ↗ Right · 1Reuters notes that air power, especially foreign-made drones, helped turn the tide in the 2020-2022 war, and that the new fighting has severed ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea; Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing the rebels, which Asmara denies. The Straits TimesRC “its air power — especially through the widespread deployment of foreign-made drones — helped turn the tide of the fighting”“which Addis Ababa accuses of backing the rebels, although Asmara denies that” Read at The Straits Times ↗ Left · 1Al Jazeera places the deal within a growing Russia-Ethiopia military partnership: a July 2021 military cooperation agreement, Yak-130 jet trainers shown in January, and SIPRI data that Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa's major weapons imports in 2021-2025, as Moscow seeks closer ties while under Western sanctions over Ukraine. Al JazeeraLC “The two governments signed a military cooperation agreement in Addis Ababa in July 2021”“Russia supplied 15 percent of Africa’s imports of major weapons between 2021 and 2025, making it the continent’s third-largest supplier” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Left · 1Al Jazeera says the renewed war has effectively undone the November 2022 Pretoria peace agreement, and cites Ghent University researchers estimating about 500,000 civilian deaths in the first war. Al JazeeraLC “The renewed war has effectively undone a peace agreement signed in Pretoria, South Africa, in November 2022” Read at Al Jazeera ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Al Jazeera treats the delivery as a sign of deepening Russian military ties with Africa, set against the Moscow summit and Ethiopia's wars in Tigray and Amhara.
- Emphasis
- Russia-Africa summit, history of Russian-Ethiopian military cooperation, SIPRI arms-trade data, Western sanctions on Russia, and the status of the Tigray fighting and the collapsed Pretoria deal.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Eritrea dispute or that Rostec had not responded to requests for comment; says nothing on the deal's value.
- For example
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“The announcement is the latest sign of Russia‘s growing military partnership with Ethiopia, following a series of agreements in recent years.” — Al Jazeera
Centre1 outlet
No centre outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- The Straits Times, running a Reuters report, presents a short factual bulletin on the delivery as part of Ethiopia's drive to bolster its military, listing what Abiy left undisclosed and the security threats facing Ethiopia.
- Emphasis
- Undisclosed deal value, timing and basing; the role of air power and drones in the earlier war; the rupture with Eritrea.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the Moscow summit, the Mekelle capture, the Amhara/Fano rebellion or Russia's wider arms-export context.
- For example
-
“Abiy 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” — The Straits Times
What every side reports
- Ethiopia has received 12 Su-35 fighter jets from Russia.
- Four S-400 air defence systems are to follow, with no delivery date given.
- Abiy Ahmed announced it on X and said the jets arrived a year early thanks to Putin.
- Ethiopia is facing renewed fighting in Tigray.
Where accounts differ
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State of the Tigray conflict
- Left
- Al Jazeera says government and allied forces entered Mekelle on 4 October after TPLF fighters withdrew, though fighting continues.
- Right
- Reuters, via The Straits Times, says a rebel alliance launched an offensive against the government last month, rekindling the war.
Abiy Ahmed person
Abiy presents the deliveries as a milestone for national security that will deter aggression, and credits Putin for the early delivery.
“marked a milestone in Ethiopia's efforts to strengthen national security” — The Straits Times
“they would defend Ethiopian airspace” — Al Jazeera
Russia place
Russia is described as seeking closer security and economic ties with African countries; the Russian arms exporter Rostec had not commented.
“where Russia is seeking closer security and economic ties with African countries” — Al Jazeera
“did not immediately respond to a request for comment” — The Straits Times
East and Southeast Asia1 outlet
The Straits Times carries a short Reuters bulletin focused on the announcement and its undisclosed details.
“as part of a drive to bolster its military capabilities” — The Straits Times
The Straits Times
Middle East2 outlets
Al Jazeera frames the delivery within Russia-Africa relations and Ethiopia's internal wars.
“Moscow has sought closer military and economic ties with African countries while facing Western sanctions over its war in Ukraine.” — Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera, Anadolu Agency
Left1 article
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Ethiopia receives 12 Russian Su-35 jets, plans S-400 acquisition
Neutral Fuller explainer that links the delivery to Russia's Africa outreach and the state of the Tigray and Amhara conflicts.
Centre1 article
Right1 article
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Ethiopia says it has taken delivery of 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets
Neutral Reuters wire copy carried by The Straits Times: concise bullet-style report stressing what Abiy did not disclose and the security context including Eritrea.
- 28 Oct 12:31 First The Straits TimesRC Ethiopia says it has taken delivery of 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets
- 28 Oct 16:35 +4h 4m Al JazeeraLC Ethiopia receives 12 Russian Su-35 jets, plans S-400 acquisition
- 28 Oct 17:56 +5h 25m Anadolu AgencyN Ethiopia receives 12 Russian Su-35 fighter jets, plans to acquire S-400 air defenses
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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