INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Russia officially removed the Taliban from its list of designated terrorist organizations, a legal formality that follows years of pragmatic
amount to a formal recognition of its government, experts say
partners.Moscow has taken steps to normalize ties with the Taliban since the Islamist group seized control of Afghanistan in 2021 following
the chaotic withdrawal of U.S
Time flows slowly in the East
by the authorities," as both Moscow and the Taliban have been working to eliminate Islamic State-K
The extremist group is responsible for numerous deadly attacks in Afghanistan and Russia, including the March 2024 concert hall massacre in
bound to establish strong economic and diplomatic relations in the future."But despite growing ties, the Taliban remained legally classified
criminal or administrative charges between 2016 and 2025 over alleged ties to the group, according to the independent news outlet
Vyorstka.Of these, about 20 people were penalized for displaying Taliban symbols on social media or messaging platforms with fines or brief
for two social media posts mentioning the Taliban.At least nine others were convicted under criminal charges for promoting or inciting
Some were sentenced to up to 12.5 years in a high-security penal colony, Vyorstka said.Since the invasion of Ukraine, Russia has added many
was added to the list of extremists and terrorists in 2022.This week, four independent journalists were sentenced to 5.5 years in prison for
move for Moscow, as its ability to engage with the authorities in Afghanistan could give it leverage with regional partners and the new U.S
in response to future U.S
initiatives? Or will the Kremlin make a bold move and, amid the growing intrigue of a possible reset in U.S.-Russia relations, decide to
