A Taliban diplomat will serve as the Russian ambassador.

 

On April 19, 2025, in Moscow, Russia, Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with the Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Valery Gerasimov. | Photo Credit: Sputnik via Reuters

 A Taliban diplomat will on Tuesday assume the role as Afghanistan's ambassador to Russia, the Islamist group's first top envoy to Moscow since seizing power in 2021, Russian state media reported.

 According to Russia's TASS news agency, Gul Hassan, a former Pakistani consul, arrived in the capital earlier on Tuesday and will soon "take up his duties." An official at the Afghan embassy told AFP that Hassan "was due to arrive today".

 Since the Islamist group returned to power in Afghanistan after a 20-year insurgency against the US-backed Kabul government, Moscow has increased its economic and diplomatic ties with the group. Several other countries including China and the United Arab Emirates have also accepted a Taliban-appointed envoy, though no state has yet officially recognised them as Afghanistan's lawful government.

 The Islamist group seized power after American forces supporting the country's internationally recognised government pulled out in 2021.

 Moscow has taken steps to normalise relations with the Taliban authorities since then, removing their designation as a "terrorist organisation" in April and inviting them to official events.

 Russia had already accepted a Taliban-appointed charge d'affaires in 2022.

 Russia was the first country to open a business representative office in Kabul after the Taliban takeover, and has announced plans to use Afghanistan as a transit hub for gas heading to Southeast Asia.

 Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, referred to the Taliban as "allies in the fight against terrorism" in July 2024.