Russia’s Security Council Secretary Sergey Shoigu has accused Western intelligence agencies of transferring foreign fighters into Afghanistan to destabilize the country and create broader insecurity across the region, including in Russia, China, and Iran.
In an op-ed published Friday in Russia’s Rossiyskaya Gazeta, the former Defense Minister alleged that documented movements of militants into Afghanistan have been orchestrated for Western geopolitical aims. Shoigu stated that such activities threaten to undermine regional stability and counterterrorism efforts in Central and South Asia.
Shoigu emphasized that Moscow is prepared to assist the Taliban-led government in Kabul with counterterrorism and anti-drug trafficking operations as part of a broader regional security strategy. While he acknowledged that Afghanistan has made progress in suppressing extremist groups and curbing narcotics trade, he stressed that significant challenges remain.
He attributed much of Afghanistan’s ongoing instability to Western sanctions and the freezing of nearly $9 billion in Afghan assets abroad following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. According to Shoigu, these measures have delayed the country’s economic recovery and hindered social development, creating fertile ground for extremist recruitment and cross-border criminal activity.
In July, Russia became the first country to formally recognize the Taliban as Afghanistan’s legitimate government, citing the need for closer cooperation on security and counterterrorism initiatives. Moscow has also expressed concerns over the presence of ISIS-K, the Afghanistan-based branch of the Islamic State, which claimed responsibility for last year’s Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow that killed more than 140 people. Russian authorities maintain that the group operates as a proxy for foreign intelligence services, including those of Ukraine.
Russian officials have repeatedly accused Western nations of seeking to maintain instability in Afghanistan, mostly due to its proximity to Russia, China, and Iran. Kabul, while often asserting that all terrorist groups have been dismantled, has at times contradicted Moscow’s claims. Despite a notable improvement in the overall security situation compared to the pre-2021 era, sporadic terrorist attacks and cross-border threats persist.