Russia’s Supreme Court removed the Taliban from its list of banned terrorist organizations—a symbolic move that reflects Moscow’s increasingly cooperative relationship with Afghanistan’s de facto rulers.
“The previously established ban on the Taliban’s activities… has been suspended,” announced Supreme Court Judge Oleg Nefedov, as reported by the state-run news agency TASS. The ruling, made behind closed doors, takes effect immediately.
The court’s decision followed a formal request from the Prosecutor General’s Office last month. While it does not equate to full diplomatic recognition of the Taliban regime, the move eliminates a significant legal hurdle, allowing Russian officials to engage more freely with Taliban representatives in official capacities.
In a statement, the Taliban welcomed the ruling, calling it a “significant development in relations between Afghanistan and Russia.” Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, in a meeting with Russian Ambassador to Kabul Dmitry Zhirnov, noted that the decision removes the last remaining barrier to expanding political and economic ties between the two countries.
Taliban officials have maintained a growing presence in Russia in recent years. They participated in the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in both 2022 and 2024 and met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in 2023, signaling deepening ties.
Russia originally designated the Taliban as a terrorist organization in 2003, citing their alleged support for Islamist insurgents in the North Caucasus. But since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, Moscow has steadily shifted its approach, aligning more closely with the group’s leadership.
Other nations have taken similar steps. Kazakhstan removed the Taliban from its terrorist list in 2023, and China has expanded economic cooperation, becoming the first country to appoint a new ambassador to Kabul since the Taliban takeover.
Still, despite these regional shifts, no country has yet formally recognized the Taliban government, which continues to face diplomatic isolation on the global stage.
