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Ethiopia Builds Naval Headquarters With Russian Support Despite Having No Access to the Sea
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![Ivan_khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
-21d0b63c17f6020e4df75f6c6f9a2f4f.jpg "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Ethiopia, a landlocked country without naval forces, is reportedly building a naval headquarters with the support of the Russian Federation, according to Business Insider Africa.
The facility, currently under construction in Bishoftu, is designed to include conference halls, administrative offices, and support infrastructure.
According to Defense Express on June 10, this development is part of a broader effort by Ethiopia to reestablish naval capabilities despite the absence of a coastline.
The country lost direct access to the sea following Eritrea’s independence in 1993 and has since relied on partnerships with Djibouti and, more recently, Somalia, to maintain limited maritime access.
Bishoftu already hosts a naval training center, and the project is reportedly being coordinated directly with the Russian Navy, highlighting Moscow’s expanding military presence in Africa.
The Ethiopian military currently possesses only a small flotilla of patrol boats operating on Lake Tana, the largest lake in the country. As of 2025, The Military Balance — an annual defense assessment published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) — does not list any seagoing vessels in Ethiopia’s inventory.
Russian media outlets have framed the collaboration as a BRICS -based military partnership.
Since February 2022, Russia has increased its defense exports to Ethiopia, including the delivery of a Krasukha-4 electronic warfare system in October 2023 and the sale of Su-30K fighter jets in January 2024.
Historically, Ethiopia maintained a modest navy with several frigates and missile boats, but its fleet was dissolved by the late 1990s. The Ethiopian Navy once operated two frigates, eight missile boats, six torpedo boats, and multiple landing and patrol vessels.
Earlier, on January 17, 2025, a Russian military column equipped with T-90M tanks, BMP-3s, and over 50 armored vehicles was spotted in Mali’s capital, Bamako. According to Defense Express, the force, part of Russia’s so-called ‘African Corps,’ appeared better equipped than the entire Malian army.
