Aug 25, 2021: Russian President Vladimir Putin promised his countrymen at an election rally on Monday that he would not intervene militarily in Afghanistan after the Taliban took over, despite warnings about the threat of international terrorism.
“Obviously, we have no intention of interfering in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, and even less so if we involve our armed forces in all conflicts against all,” Putin said during the Russian Federation’s United Congress.
Putin took advantage of the kick-off for the Duma legislative election campaign – scheduled for September 19 – to reassure the Russians that he would not send troops abroad, as he did in Syria in 2015.
He said the “experience” of the Soviet Union, which invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and left the country 10 years later, was an withdrawal that was considered one of the factors that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“We’ve taken the necessary lessons from it,” Putin said.
The Russian leader acknowledged that the situation in Afghanistan was “worrying” and stressed that Moscow and its allies were “closely monitoring” the situation in that country.
In fact, Moscow has expanded its military base in neighboring Tajikistan with new weapons. President Putin called on the government, the Foreign Ministry, security forces and members of the Duma – the lower house of the Russian parliament – to strengthen measures to “guarantee the security of the country and its citizens.”
After meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last week, Putin called on the West to “join forces” with Russia to normalize the situation in Afghanistan.
In addition, he criticized Western intervention and attempts to impose democratic values on other countries while ignoring their traditions and behavior, which he called “irresponsible policy.”
Putin also warned on Tuesday of the current threat of international terrorism, both from drug trafficking – given that 93 percent of the world’s heroin comes from Afghanistan – and from illegal immigration.
There is a danger that terrorists and other groups seeking refuge in Afghanistan could take advantage of the chaos created by our Western partners and seek to expand into neighboring countries. And it will certainly be a direct threat to the country and to their partners.
Putin noted that military operations were being carried out against international terrorist organizations in the North Caucasus, and that if they had not been destroyed with the help of Chechens, Dagestanis and others, Russian territory would have been the scene of “horrors.”
According to, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, “the real main threat” is that the Taliban have inherited “a huge quantity of armaments.”
Besides Afghanistan, Putin also made several other promises of a clear electoral nature, including providing a one-time payment for retirees of 10,000 rubles (about $135) and another of 15,000 (about $200) for members of the armed and security forces regardless of rank.
Retired, police officers and military, along with government officials, are considered the main pro-United Russia groups, the party that has dominated parliament for the past 20 years.
Putin also promised a pension index in 2022, to help families with children, whose strength and well-being he said is the authentic Russian national ideal.
Putin praised the work of United Russia, known in the opposition as a “gang of thieves and thugs”, but noted that improving the lives of Russians was a “moral duty”.
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