Russian Defence Minister Andrey Belousov has warned of escalating terrorist threats emanating from Afghanistan. He stated that more than twenty radical groups comprising over 15000 fighters are currently active in the country.
He issued the warning during a meeting of the Council of Defence Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) held on Wednesday in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
Belousov highlighted the growing risk of infiltration by these groups into CSTO member states and beyond, calling Afghanistan the principal source of terrorist threats to the region. While he did not name specific organisations, he claimed that foreign fighters from the Middle East are increasingly entering Afghanistan and other Central Asian nations.
In remarks reported by Russian state media outlet TASS, Belousov also criticised Western geopolitical strategies, accusing Western countries of attempting to orchestrate Russia’s strategic defeat and placing undue pressure on CSTO members.
He said that the military-political situation in CSTO-controlled territories remains tense, with increasing challenges facing member states. The Russian defence minister added that western countries continue to pursue their agenda of weakening Russia and destabilising Moscow’s allies.
The CSTO, comprising Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan, has grown increasingly concerned about the presence of extremist groups such as ISIS and regional radical groups based in Afghanistan. These concerns have prompted member states to cautiously increase engagement with the Taliban, despite the group lacking formal recognition.
In a notable shift, Russia’s Supreme Court earlier this year approved the Prosecutor General’s request to remove the Taliban from its official list of terrorist organisations, a move signalling Moscow’s pragmatic approach to regional security.
In response to mounting security challenges, the CSTO has stepped up military cooperation across the region. Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, the organisation has conducted several joint military exercises in Tajikistan. Plans are also underway to begin supplying weapons and military equipment to bolster security along the Tajik-Afghan border beginning in 2026. This effort will be rolled out in three stages over a five-year period.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also addressed the issue during a March 2025 meeting in Moscow with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, affirming that Russia cannot remain indifferent to the threats emanating from Afghanistan.
