Russia has decided to keep the Taliban on its terrorist list despite earlier signs that the group might be removed. Concerns over security remain the main reason behind this decision.
In December 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing temporary suspension of terrorist groups’ activities. This law lets Russian courts remove organizations like the Taliban from the terrorist list under certain conditions. However, Moscow has not taken any steps to remove the Taliban terrorist designation yet.
Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko stated that removing the Taliban from the list is a complex and time-consuming process. Russia’s cautious approach is based on security risks rather than legal challenges.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan spoke about Islamabad’s increasing concerns over rising terrorist incidents. In an interview with TASS, he assured that Moscow supports Pakistan’s fight against terrorism and emphasized stronger cooperation with Afghanistan.
Although Russia maintains diplomatic relations with the Taliban and has handed control of the Afghan embassy in Moscow to them, it has not officially recognized the group. The main reason behind this careful stance is the security threat posed by ISIS-Khorasan in the region.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently discussed the security situation in Afghanistan with his Tajik counterpart. He expressed concerns over the growing presence of ISIS-K in northern Afghanistan. Russia’s UN representative also warned that American weapons left behind in Afghanistan could create serious global security risks.
Moscow is open to engaging with the Taliban on economic and diplomatic fronts. However, the Taliban terrorist designation will remain in place until all security threats are fully resolved.
