Relations between Afghanistan and Russia have historically followed a complex and fluctuating course. Bilateral relations were significantly affected by the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Since then, relations have been at times friendly and at times tense.
In the period covering 1979-1989, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan and caused a protracted war. During this period, the Russians intervened militarily in support of the communist government in Afghanistan and were severely criticised by the United States of America (USA) and other Western countries. It also faced resistance from the Afghan mujahideen. Due to this resistance, Soviet troops ended the occupation in 1989. During this period, relations between Afghanistan and Russia were strained and with the end of the occupation, relations between the two countries were completely severed.
After the withdrawal of the Soviet Union, the country was plunged into civil war between 1992 and 2001. During this period, bilateral relations were generally tense. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, allegations emerged that Russia was closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan and had secret relations with the Taliban regime. In addition, the Afghan groups fighting against each other led to increased instability in the country. During this period, due to the terrorist threat in Afghanistan, Russia worked with the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in line with some common interests.
In the period 1996-2001, the Taliban seized power by controlling a large part of Afghanistan, which led to various allegations about the secret relations between Russia and the Taliban. However, the Russian government has always denied these allegations and has publicly stated at every opportunity that the Taliban is a “terrorist organisation”.
In the late 2010s and early 2020s, Russia became more actively involved in the political process in Afghanistan and established direct contacts with the Taliban. Russia continued to monitor the situation in Afghanistan and contribute to the peace process and supported the joint approach against the Taliban. Russia has been concerned about the growing influence of the Taliban and has not hesitated to co-operate with the US and NATO in the fight against terrorism. Moscow has also frequently expressed its willingness to contribute to Afghanistan’s peace process. However, in 2021, the situation in Afghanistan changed again and the Taliban took control of a large part of the country, and with the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan, the balance of power in the region began to reshape. In this process, Russia expressed its willingness to establish dialogue with the Taliban and stated that it would continue to maintain its diplomatic mission in Afghanistan, provided that it did not pose any threat to the Taliban.
Russia’s importance for Afghanistan stems from regional and geopolitical factors.Afganistan, It has a strategic position as it is the crossroads of Central Asia. Therefore, developments and instability in Afghanistan are important for regional and global security, and Russia’s policies towards Afghanistan are shaped by a combination of various factors.
Instability, terrorist organisations and drug trafficking in Afghanistan are increasing regional security threats and Russia is closely monitoring the situation in the country, considering that these threats may affect its own security.
Afghanistan is an important country in the world in opium and heroin production. This drug traffic not only worsens the security situation inside Afghanistan, but also has a negative impact on drug addiction in the region and worldwide. Russia supports efforts to control drug trafficking and prevent its spread. The instability and conflict situation in Afghanistan has a negative impact on other countries in the region. Russia seeks to promote regional stability in order to prevent an increase in migration, terrorism and other security threats due to instability in the region. Russia wants to increase its influence in Central Asia and maintain its influence in the region. Afghanistan is seen as an area for Russia to strengthen its influence in the region due to its strategic location in Central Asia.
Although relations between Afghanistan and Russia have historically fluctuated up and down, they have fluctuated depending on the political conditions of the period. Both countries are evaluating their relations and conducting the political process due to regional security, counter-terrorism, drug trafficking and other common interests. Domestic political dynamics in Afghanistan, the regional situation and international security conditions influence the complexity and volatility of relations between Russia and Afghanistan.
