Russia has announced that it has received new arms orders from Central Asian countries worried about the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan.
Indeed, the countries of Central Asia, in particular Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, bordering Afghanistan and which experienced jihadist attacks in the 1990s and 2000s, are worried about the Taliban’s return to power.
“We are already working on a number of orders from countries in the region for the supply of Russian helicopters, small arms and modern border protection systems,” said Ria Novosti Alexander Mikheev, director general. of Rosoboronexport, in charge of arms exports.
Moscow has military bases in the region and fears incursions by Afghan jihadists, including “fighters disguised as refugees” who may reach Russian territory.
Prevention operations
Even if the Taliban have assured that they will not threaten the other countries of Central Asia, Russia prefers to remain cautious.
After joint military maneuvers led by Russia in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, new exercises are planned for September 7 to 9 in Kyrgyzstan between member states of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CTSC), a military alliance led by Moscow.
These maneuvers will aim to train in “the destruction of illegal armed groups that have invaded the territory of a member state of the CSTO,” according to a spokesperson for the alliance quoted by the Interfax agency.