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KABUL – Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities are said to have intensified scrutiny of Russian and Belarusian actors within their borders, following recent disclosures by Ukraine’s Foreign Intelligence Service (FISU).
According to Ukrainian media, FISU claims that Taliban counterintelligence officials have raised alarms over a surge of Russians entering Afghanistan under civilian covers such as tourists, journalists, and businessmen, who may in fact be operating as intelligence assets. The reports further assert that a covert network is attempting to use Afghanistan’s strategic location to sow discord among global powers.
While the allegations remain based mainly on Ukrainian sources, several key developments are confirmed by independent reporting. Russia formally recognized the Taliban-led government on July 3, 2025, becoming the first country to do so, after earlier removing the group from its list of banned organizations. Analysts view Moscow’s move as part of a broader shift in its Afghanistan policy, aimed at expanding security, trade, and counterterrorism cooperation with Kabul.
There has been no official acknowledgment from Afghan authorities or independent verification of the infiltration claims or the alleged network structure. The suggestion that operatives are trying to exploit Afghanistan to heighten East–West rivalry also remains unsubstantiated by neutral experts. References to remarks by former US President Donald Trump about retaking Bagram Airbase likewise do not appear in credible sources.
If the claims of infiltration prove accurate, Kabul could find itself at the center of renewed geopolitical competition, with rival powers seeking greater influence in the country. For now, however, the assertions remain unverified beyond the Ukrainian intelligence narrative.
