KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – Russia’s decision to recognize Taliban rule has drawn strong criticism from Afghan political figures, activists, and armed opposition groups. They warn that this move legitimizes oppression and will exacerbate regional instability.
On Thursday, the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Russia officially recognized their “Islamic Emirate.” According to the ministry, Russian Ambassador Dmitry Zhirnov conveyed this message during a meeting with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul.
Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, later confirmed the decision in an interview with state-run RIA Novosti. “The Russian Foreign Ministry confirms that Moscow has officially recognized the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,” Kabulov said.
This makes Russia the first country to formally recognize the Taliban rule since the group returned to power in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US and NATO forces.
Critics of the decision say it emboldens the Taliban while undermining human rights and regional security.
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, Afghanistan’s representative to the United Nations, expressed that the recognition by countries that previously supported the Taliban is “unsurprising.” However, he warned it would have serious and long-term consequences for ordinary Afghans.
“This political move may seem to benefit the Taliban,” Faiq wrote on X, “but the adverse impact on the people of Afghanistan will be far greater.”
Nasir Andisha, Afghanistan’s envoy to the UN office in Geneva, described the situation as a “lose-lose” for both Russia and the Taliban. He emphasized that while opportunities may arise from this recognition, they must be effectively utilized.
Meanwhile, the Afghanistan Freedom Front (AFF), an anti-Taliban resistance group, strongly condemned Russia’s decision, warning that recognition of the Taliban’s “self-declared emirate” promotes extremism and terrorism.
In its statement, the AFF said the move legitimizes like-minded factions seeking to establish similar regimes across Central Asia. “The threat of terrorism and religious extremism at the gates of Central Asia is real and immediate,” the group warned.
Fawzia Koofi, a former Afghan MP and women’s rights advocate, stated that normalizing relations with the Taliban would not bring peace but would instead legitimize impunity.
“Such steps risk endangering not just the people of Afghanistan but global security,” she warned. “If we fail to learn from history, history will teach us at a devastating cost.”
Russia’s latest decision follows several recent diplomatic moves, including removing the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations and accepting a Taliban-appointed ambassador.
However, the Taliban remains largely unrecognized by the broader international community and the United Nations, which continues to voice concerns about the Taliban’s exclusionary governance, widespread human rights abuses, and ties to terrorist groups.
During their previous rule in the late 1990s, only Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates recognized the Taliban regime.
