July 08, 2025

Welcome to Moscow, Taliban!


Welcome to Moscow, Taliban!
The Taliban's new flag for Afghanistan, flying in Moscow. TASS, Telegram.

On July 3, Russia became the first country in the world to recognize the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, legitimizing the Taliban, its former enemy. Afghanistan's former black, red, and green flag in its Moscow embassy was replaced with the militant group's banner.

The Russian ambassador in Kabul, Dmitry Zhirnov, said Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov suggested to President Vladimir Putin that Russia recognize the Taliban's sovereignty of Afghanistan. Zhirnov said the decision stems from Moscow's "sincere desire to establish a full-fledged partnership" with Kabul.

Russia has had a hot-and-cold relationship with the Taliban. The militant group emerged from the Mujahideen movement, which fought against Moscow's invasion during the Soviet-Afghan war (1979-1989). In 2003, Russia recognized the Taliban as a terrorist organization. In 2021, the extremist political and religious organization seized control of all of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of American troops. These events apparently convinced the Kremlin to soften its stance on the group.

Yet Russia actually began to actively cooperate with the Taliban as soon as they came to power. Representatives of the movement are frequently spotted in Moscow visiting government officials. In December 2024, the Duma passed a law allowing the Taliban to no longer be considered a terrorist organization.

In March 2025, the Prosecutor General's office asked the Supreme Court to suspend Russia's ban on the group's activities. By April, the ban was suspended.

The Taliban, meanwhile, has been criticized for suffocating a free press and implementing gender apartheid in Afghanistan.

You Might Also Like

Tali-unbanned
  • April 20, 2025

Tali-unbanned

The Russian government has removed the Taliban from its list of terrorist organizations.
The Music of War
  • October 30, 2024

The Music of War

Russian military ensembles glorify war and profit from it.
Afghanistan: A Second Chance?
  • February 20, 2009

Afghanistan: A Second Chance?

Thirty years ago, in 1979, the Persian Gulf was a tinderbox. On January 16, following months of uprisings, the Shah of Iran was overthrown. One month later, it looked like Afghanistan’s turn. The Soviet-backed thugs running the country had imposed radical social reforms, sparking a civil war and threatening pro-Soviet rule...
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955