Russia and Afghanistan Sign Military Cooperation Agreement

The Jamestown Foundation  |  Syed Fazl-e-Haider

Russia and Taliban-led Afghanistan signed a military cooperation agreement on May 27, 2026, in Moscow, marking a major step toward integrating the internationally isolated regime into the Kremlin's regional sphere of influence. This undisclosed pact, framed as a framework for repairing Soviet-era military equipment, establishes a formal security partnership that bypasses Western sanctions and secures a vital transit corridor.

The bilateral relationship has expanded rapidly since Moscow removed the Taliban from its banned terrorist list, driven by mutual economic interests and shared security concerns regarding the Islamic State-Khorasan Province. While the Kremlin leverages this alliance to advance the Trans-Afghan Railway toward the Indian Ocean, the defense pact risks destabilizing relations with Pakistan and Tajikistan due to ongoing cross-border militant activity. Furthermore, the agreement threatens to undermine the influence of the People's Republic of China, which remains Afghanistan's largest foreign investor in mining and energy.

Comment

The Kremlin prioritises bilateral intelligence sharing over multilateral frameworks like the Collective Security Treaty Organisation. This approach bypasses traditional regional security structures in Central Asia. Moscow seeks direct tactical cooperation to contain the Islamic State-Khorasan Province. This transactional security alignment risks alienating long-standing partners in Dushanbe and Islamabad.

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