Russia to provide air defence support to Afghanistan

Russia has agreed to provide modern air defence systems and broader military assistance to Afghanistan under the Taliban administration, according to sources cited by BBC News.

The reported agreement marks a significant expansion of security ties between Moscow and the Taliban government as regional security concerns continue to grow.

Sources familiar with the matter said Taliban Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid played a central role in securing the deal during his recent visit to Moscow.

According to the report, discussions over Russian military assistance had been ongoing for months, with both sides now signing an agreement covering air defence equipment, ground military hardware and training support for Taliban forces.

However, it remains unclear whether the agreement includes offensive systems such as drones.

The deal was reportedly signed in Moscow in the presence of Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Taliban Defence Minister Mujahid.

Mujahid travelled to Moscow earlier this week to attend an international security conference. During the visit, he described Russia as “an important country in the region and the world” and said Kabul hopes to further strengthen bilateral relations with Moscow.

Russia and several Central Asian nations have long expressed concerns over the presence of militant groups operating in Afghanistan. Taliban officials, however, insist they are actively combating extremist organizations inside the country.

Shoigu recently stated that Russia is moving toward a “full-fledged partnership” with the Taliban administration and encouraged other countries to increase engagement with Kabul.

Analysts say the Taliban’s push for advanced air defence systems intensified after recent tensions and clashes with Pakistan exposed weaknesses in Afghanistan’s aerial defence capabilities.

Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, Russia has remained one of the few countries maintaining diplomatic operations in Kabul. In 2022, the two sides signed their first major international economic agreement, under which Russia began supplying oil, gas and wheat to Afghanistan.