Russia is taking steps to remove the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations, following a formal request by the Prosecutor General’s Office to the Supreme Court, the New York Post reports. A closed-door hearing is scheduled for April 17 to deliberate on the matter. If approved, this decision would end over two decades of the Taliban’s designation as a terrorist group in Russia. It would also mean that “contact with the group would no longer be punishable as a crime.”
This development follows President Vladimir Putin’s recent statements referring to the Taliban as “trusted allies” in combating terrorism. Putin emphasized that the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan makes them key partners in ensuring stability and countering groups like ISIS-K, which has been responsible for deadly attacks in Russia. Moscow has received signals from the Taliban indicating their willingness to cooperate on anti-terrorism efforts.
Legislation passed in December 2024 allows for groups to be delisted if they are deemed to have ceased supporting terrorism. The Taliban had been banned in Russia since 2003 but has seen increased diplomatic engagement with Moscow since regaining control of Afghanistan after the United States’ disastrous withdrawal in 2021 that led to the tragic loss of thirteen service members. Despite these moves, Russia has stopped short of officially recognizing the Taliban government.
Russia’s pivot toward engaging with the Taliban reflects its broader strategy of distancing itself from Western nations amid tensions over Ukraine. The Kremlin views cooperation with Afghanistan as crucial for regional stability and countering extremist threats. However, critics remain concerned about the Taliban’s governance and human rights violations, including restrictions on women’s public life under strict Islamic law.
The Taliban is still “designated a terror group by the US, and is subject to sanctions by the United Nations,” according to The Post. Russia reportedly first designated the Taliban a terrorist group in 2003.