Russia’s Taliban outreach & regional security

RUSSIA’S deepening engagement with the Taliban has entered a new phase. During a recent visit to Moscow, Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Yaqoob signed military and technical cooperation arrangements with Russian officials, signaling a growing security partnership between the two sides. It’s not to forget that Russia was the first country to formally recognize the Taliban government, breaking with the broader international consensus of diplomatic isolation. Yet Moscow’s outreach presents a striking contradiction. Only days before expanding cooperation, senior Russian security officials publicly warned about the growing terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan. Russian authorities have repeatedly expressed concern over the activities of ISIS-K, Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other extremist organizations operating from Afghan territory. Russian security assessments have estimated that around 20000 terrorists remain active in Afghanistan, while officials have warned of ISIS-K recruitment networks extending into Central Asia and even targeting Russian migrant communities. This raises a fundamental question: why is Russia strengthening military ties with a regime governing a territory that its own security establishment describes as a hub for transnational terrorism? Moscow appears to believe that engagement is more practical than isolation. By drawing the Taliban into its strategic orbit, Russia may hope to secure influence in Afghanistan, limit Western leverage and create a buffer against instability spilling into Central Asia. In an increasingly multipolar world, Afghanistan’s geographic position makes it difficult for major powers to ignore. However, the risks are substantial. Successive international assessments have continued to document the presence of terrorist organizations inside Afghanistan. While the Taliban insist they do not allow Afghan soil to be used against other countries, neighboring states remain unconvinced. The persistence of ext