Russia Becomes First Nation To Officially Recognise Taliban Government In Afghanistan

In a big diplomatic move, Russia has formally recognised the Taliban-led regime in Afghanistan by accepting the credentials of Gul Hassan Hassan, the envoy appointed by Taliban.

This makes Russia the first nation to grant official recognition to the Taliban government since its 2021 takeover, India Today reported.

"We believe that the act of official recognition of the government of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan will give impetus to the development of productive bilateral cooperation between our countries in various fields," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The decision comes after a ceremony in Moscow where Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko received Hassan’s credentials.

Images released by Russian news agency TASS confirmed that the Taliban’s white flag had replaced the previous regime’s flag at the Afghan embassy.

Welcoming the decision, Taliban officials hailed Russia’s recognition and said it would help strengthen ties.

“This is a major milestone in the history of our relations,” said Taliban's acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi.

Unlike most global powers, Russia has kept its embassy in Kabul open after the Taliban seized control in August 2021.

The Russian government said it sees "significant prospects for cooperation in trade and economic areas," and hopes to work on projects in energy, transport, agriculture, and infrastructure.

Moscow also plans to build stronger ties in education, culture, sports, and humanitarian work.

No other nation has so far granted formal recognition to the Taliban, with most awaiting progress on international benchmarks — particularly improvements in human rights conditions.

Though Russia has broken ranks, the Taliban remains under global scrutiny for its human rights record. Yet, Moscow’s move may influence other countries to reassess their approach in the months ahead.

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