Taliban and North Korea rubbed shoulders at Russia’s war games—one fuels Moscow’s war, the other needs its help
Two isolated governments in Russia's orbit turned up at the same drills—though only Kabul has said they met.
Browsing Tag
Afghanistan
21 posts
Canada prepares for US invasion: Military models insurgency tactics for first time in century
Canadian defense planners envision using Afghanistan-style insurgency tactics against a U.S. invasion.
ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban leaders for crimes against women after Russia becomes only country in world to recognize their regime
In 2023, the ICC also charged Russian President Vladimir Putin with war crimes related to the forced deportation of Ukrainian children.
Victory at any cost: Moscow will drain its people to feed front, expert says
As Russia ramps up its propaganda machine ahead of 9 May celebrations, military expert Serhii Hrabskyi warns that the Kremlin will go to extreme lengths to sustain its war effort — even at the expense of its own people.
Taliban becomes Russia’s top flour buyer
Afghanistan, under Taliban rule, became Russia’s largest flour importer in 2024, doubling its purchases as Moscow deepened ties with the regime.
Russia paid Taliban to target US troops in Afghanistan in 2016-2019, investigation reveals
Russian GRU intelligence agency reportedly offered $200,000 for each US soldier killed, transferring funds via Afghan couriers who operated under the cover of gemstone trading.
Is Russia really invincible? History suggests otherwise
Russia's defeats in Crimea, Japan, WWI, and Afghanistan tell a clear story: Moscow's military isn't invincible. For Ukraine's allies, this history matters.
ISW: Russia moves closer to delisting Taliban from terrorist organizations
Russia establishes legal means to delist terrorist groups, signaling policy shift toward Taliban-led Afghanistan and HTS-held Syria.
Ex-NATO chief warns Trump not to make Ukraine his Afghanistan
Rasmussen warns Trump against making Ukraine a geopolitical loss, urging support for Ukraine's military efforts, NATO membership, and more defense spending for NATO member states.
The Washington Post: Ukrainian troops are turning to buggies amid constant drone threat on battlefield
While buggies are useful for their mobility, they lack the firepower, capacity, and armor needed to carry significant troops and supplies or provide protection.
US assistance approval shows Ukraine won’t be abandoned, Zelenskyy says, urging Senate to ratify the aid
Following US House's aid approval, Zelenskyy sees a firm commitment to Ukraine, urging the Senate to ratify the aid quickly to secure crucial weapons needed for Ukraine's defense against Russian advances.
Russia recruiting Afghan commandos for Ukraine war – Foreign Policy
US-trained special forces Afghan veterans, abandoned by the US and Western states when Afghanistan fell to the Taliban,…
Here is how Ukraine pulled off its “daring operation” to rescue 700 people from Afghanistan
On 29 August, the Canadian newspaper The Globe and Mail reported on the successful operation of Ukrainian special…
Institutions matter: Dissecting Ukraine-U.S. relations after the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan
In view of the events in Afghanistan, the White House must now think twice before boasting about some…
Putin may soon make ‘veterans of hybrid wars’ new symbol of Russia’s future, Shtepa says
With the passing of the World War II generation, few of whom now remain, Vladimir Putin appears ready…
“Kremlin views Trump as ‘stupid, un-strategic, and manipulable,'” and other neglected Russian stories
The flood of news stories from a country as large, diverse and strange as the Russian Federation often…
Chechen and Afghan echoes of Putin’s military operation in Syria
On the first anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s decision to introduce Russian forces into the Syrian civil war on…
Moscow may have to open ‘third front’ to prevent Central Asian refugee influx into Russian cities, MGIMO expert says
Moscow may be forced to dispatch as many as seven army divisions to Central Asia lest the destabilization…
Putin “played no less role” in creation of ISIS than Stalin did in rise of Nazis, Shmulyevich says
Vladimir Putin should be compared with Stalin rather than with Hitler, Avraam Shmulyevich says, not only because he…
The Kremlin’s wars in Afghanistan and in Ukraine: ten parallels
The war against Ukraine threatens to have serious consequences for Russia, as was the case for the USSR,…