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Hacked Russian Files Expose Ethiopia as Secret Buyer of Russia’s Su-35 Fighters

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Photo of Vlad Litnarovych
Vlad Litnarovych
News Writer
Illustrative image. Sukhoi Su-35S aircraft perform during the International Military-Technical Forum “Army 2022” at Kubinka military training ground in Moscow, Russia, on August 17, 2022. (Source: Getty Images)
Illustrative image. Sukhoi Su-35S aircraft perform during the International Military-Technical Forum “Army 2022” at Kubinka military training ground in Moscow, Russia, on August 17, 2022. (Source: Getty Images)

Internal documents leaked from Russia’s state defense giant, Rostec, have revealed, for the first time, plans to export Su-35 fighter jets to Ethiopia, according to a report by the hacking team Black Mirror, dated October 2.

The files detail production orders and confirm that Moscow has been quietly preparing deliveries.

According to the leaked correspondence, Russia’s Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), a subsidiary of Rostec, received orders in 2022 to manufacture control and display systems for six Su-35 aircraft designated for Ethiopia.

The documents use numerical codes to conceal the identities of client countries: 364 for Iran, 012 for Algeria, and 231 for Ethiopia.

Ethiopia had already taken delivery of Russian Su-30 fighters in 2024, which joined the 5th Fighter Squadron at Debre Zeit air base alongside Su-27SK and Su-27UBK jets. The new leaks suggest Ethiopia is preparing to further expand its fleet with some of Russia’s most advanced aircraft.

The same materials also confirm Algeria’s order for six fifth-generation Su-57 fighters and 14 Su-34 bombers, while Iran appears to be slated for Su-34 strike aircraft. Russia announced its first export contract for the Su-57 in late 2024 but withheld the buyer’s identity.

The Rostec files now remove that ambiguity, backing long-standing rumors about Algeria’s role as the launch export customer for the Su-57.

For Ethiopia, however, the revelations are particularly significant: six Su-35s would mark the country’s entry into the select club of operators of Russia’s premier multirole fighter, boosting its regional airpower projection.

Earlier, Russia expanded the operational use of its Su-57 Felon stealth fighter jets in Ukraine, with reports indicating more frequent missions and broader roles for the aircraft. While Moscow has sought to promote the Su-57 to international buyers—offering joint assembly proposals to countries such as India and Algeria—no confirmed foreign contracts have been publicly announced.

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