Despite earlier indications that the Taliban might be removed from its list of terrorist organisations, Russia has so far kept the group on its list, citing unresolved security concerns.
In late December 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed a law permitting the temporary suspension of terrorist groups’ activities. This legislation allows Russian courts to conditionally remove organisations such as the Taliban from the terrorist list. However, no such action has been taken regarding the Taliban to date.
Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Andrey Rudenko, recently explained that the process of suspending the Taliban’s designation is time-consuming, reflecting Moscow’s cautious approach. The delay appears to be driven primarily by security considerations rather than legal obstacles.
In related developments, Russia’s Ambassador to Pakistan highlighted Islamabad’s growing alarm over rising terrorist activities. In an interview with TASS, he reaffirmed Moscow’s support for Pakistan in its counterterrorism efforts and stressed the need for stronger cooperation with Afghanistan.
Although Russia has established diplomatic ties with the Taliban and even transferred control of the Afghan embassy in Moscow to them, it has yet to officially recognise the group. This measured stance is shaped by regional security threats, particularly from ISIS-Khorasan.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov recently discussed Afghanistan’s security situation with his Tajik counterpart, expressing concerns over the expanding influence of ISIS-K in northern Afghanistan. Additionally, Russia’s UN envoy warned that American weapons left in Afghanistan could pose a serious global security threat.
While Russia remains open to economic and diplomatic engagement with the Taliban, it is unlikely to remove the group from its terrorist list until all security threats are fully addressed.
