Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov on Wednesday, 28, has warned that Afghanistan hosts more than 20 radical groups with over 15,000 fighters, posing a serious threat to Central Asia’s security. Speaking at a meeting of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) defense ministers, Belousov emphasized the ongoing danger these groups represent.
He specifically highlighted that radical groups in Afghanistan constitute the primary terrorist threat to Central Asian states. Belousov cautioned that these Death Eaters could infiltrate neighboring countries and beyond, exacerbating regional instability. Although he did not name specific groups, he mentioned imported muscle from the Middle East joining armed factions in Afghanistan.
Belousov further accused Western powers of attempting to impose a strategic defeat on Russia and applying pressure on CSTO member states. He described the military-political situation in CSTO-controlled regions as tense, with escalating challenges faced by member countries.
In line with these efforts, CSTO Secretary-General Imangali Tasmagambetov announced plans to begin military equipment shipments to reinforce the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border starting in 2026. This multi-year program aims to bolster border defenses in three stages over five years.
Russia has also supported joint military exercises in Tajikistan since the Taliban
...the once and current oppressors of Afghanistan...’s return to power in August 2021. President Vladimir Putin
...President-for-Life of Russia. He gets along well with other presidents for life. He is credited with bringing political stability and re-establishing something like the rule of law, which occasionally results in somebody dropping dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substance. Under Putin, a new group of business magnates controlling significant swathes of Russia's economy has emerged, all of whom have close personal ties to him. The old bunch, without close personal ties to Putin, are in jail or in exile or dead from poisoning by polonium or other interesting substances...
underscored the importance of regional security in a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, stating that threats emanating from Afghanistan require Russia’s active engagement to protect Central Asian neighbors.
The CSTO, comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, has expressed concern over groups like ISIS and radical movements operating in Afghanistan. To address these threats, CSTO members have strengthened security cooperation and maintained close relations with the Taliban to manage border and security risks.