Russia’s Supreme Court has suspended its ban on Taliban activities within the country, effectively removing the group from its official list of designated terrorist organizations, state news agency Tass reported Thursday.
The ruling, issued during a closed-door hearing, immediately reverses a 2003 prohibition that barred the Taliban from all operations on Russian territory.
The court’s decision marks a significant diplomatic shift, coming over two decades after Moscow first classified the Taliban as a terrorist entity amid global counterterrorism efforts following the 9/11 attacks. While the group remains internationally condemned for its human rights record and authoritarian governance in Afghanistan, Russia has increasingly engaged with Taliban representatives in recent years, citing regional security priorities and pragmatic diplomacy.
Tass cited a Supreme Court judge stating the verdict nullifies the prior designation under Russia’s federal terrorist registry, though the court provided no detailed rationale for the move. The Taliban’s political office hailed the decision as a “step toward normalized relations,” according to Afghan media.
Analysts note the move aligns with Moscow’s broader strategy to bolster influence in Central Asia and address shared concerns over instability emanating from Afghanistan, including drug trafficking and extremism. Unlike most Western nations, Russia never formally designated the Taliban’s current leadership as terrorists after their 2021 takeover of Kabul, instead advocating for international engagement to prevent humanitarian collapse.
The delisting underscores evolving geopolitical calculations as Russia seeks alliances with non-Western actors amid its isolation over the Ukraine war. Critics, however, warn that legitimizing the Taliban risks undermining global counterterrorism norms. As regional powers recalibrate their approaches to Afghanistan, Moscow’s latest step signals a calculated bet on dialogue over isolation a stance increasingly mirrored by neighboring Central Asian states navigating complex security and economic ties with Kabul.
