Ex-Soviet pilots on both sides: Russian newspaper

The Russian newspaper 'Izvestia', citing anonymous sources at the Russian foreign and defence ministries in Moscow, reported on 26 May that military pilots from the former Soviet Union were serving in both the Ethiopian and Eritrean air forces. "Every day they may clash with each other in mortal air warfare. Unlike the advisers and instructors, these people have no official status. They are mercenaries; they have gone to Africa to fight
for money." As far as official assistance to either side was concerned, 'Izvestia' said the Russian Defence Ministry had confirmed the presence of Russian "military specialists" in Ethiopia, in line with bilateral agreements on military-technical cooperation. But it said the source did not confirm Eritrea's allegation that these included Russian pilots taking
part in combat operations. If that were the case, such people would be violating the UN arms embargo, which also covers the supply of military personnel.

An Eritrean government statement said last week that Ethiopia had hired 250 "mercenaries and foreign experts" in its air force. Eritrean presidential spokesman Yemane Gebremeskel insisted that the Eritrean air force, for its part, had no foreign nationals among its pilots. 'Izvestia' quoted a spokesman at the Ethiopian embassy in Moscow as saying that while
Russian specialists serviced Ethiopian Sukhoi and MiG aircraft on the ground, their pilots were Ethiopian. No Russians were taking part in attacks, he said.