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Updated August 23rd, 2021 at 21:58 IST

Russia ready to supply military hardware to allies near Afghanistan at low prices: Reports

Following the Taliban takeover, Russia is ready to supply weapons and military hardware to its allies in CSTO bloc that border Afghanistan at lower prices.

Reported by: Bhavya Sukheja
Russia
IMAGE: AP | Image:self
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Following the Taliban takeover, Russia is ready to supply weapons and military hardware to its allies in the CSTO security bloc that border Afghanistan at a special low price, Russia's deputy prime minister was quoted as saying by the RIA news agency. The CSTO is the Collective Security Treaty Organization, which is a security bloc led by Russia. Moscow has called for joint action with its allies in Central Asia in a bid to prepare security threats from Afghanistan following the US exit of troops and the Taliban’s takeover. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that that the heads of CSTO would meet via video conference on Monday, August 23, to examine the developments in Afghanistan. A previous post by Kazakh Presidential Spokesperson Berik Uali indicated that the heads of state would discuss regional security challenges and integration processes in Eurasia.

It is worth mentioning that on Sunday, the Taliban movement - which is illegal in Russia - launched an onslaught against government forces and entered Afghanistan's capital of Kabul, where they encountered no resistance. President Ashraf Ghani resigned and left Afghanistan afterwards. Many western nations are currently pulling their people and diplomatic officials out of Afghanistan, citing safety concerns. 

Dmitry Zhirnov, the Russian ambassador to Afghanistan, indicated that the embassy's operations continued as usual. In an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev highlighted the need to manage the situation in the country through peaceful dialogue. Putin, on the other hand, has said that the ongoing situation in Afghanistan would directly impact the security situation in Russia and he does not want Afghan militants in Russia under cover of refugees. 

Putin slams Western nations 

Putin on Sunday hit out at Western nations for seeking to temporarily relocate Afghan evacuees to neighbouring Central Asian countries until their visas to the United States and Europe get processed. Terming this idea as a humiliating approach towards solving the issue by Western states, Putin also asked how can refugees be sent to Russia's neighbouring countries when they themselves (the West) don't want to take them without visas? A few days ago, the Russian President had also demanded the countries to stop interfering in Afghanistan. 

It is pertinent to mention here that thousands of people in Afghanistan have fled the country and many still are looking to leave after the Taliban took control of the country last Sunday, August 15. A large number of people have headed to the Central Asian nations of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, which share a border with Afghanistan, while many took shelter in Germany and the United States of America. Meanwhile, highlighting the recent incidents of targeted murders, assassinations and punishments meted out to women in Afghanistan, Fabien Baussart, the President of Center of Political and Foreign Affairs (CPFA), said that the Taliban's ideology has neither reformed nor changed in any form.

(Image: AP)
 

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Published August 23rd, 2021 at 21:58 IST

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