The Russian Prosecutor General's Office has asked to temporarily suspend the ban on the Taliban movement, which was declared terrorist and banned in the country more than two decades ago. The issue will be considered at a meeting on April 17. The prosecutor's initiative was an unexpected turn in relation to the organization, which has been on the list of banned organizations since 2003, and has caused a wide resonance in political circles.

According to Baza, the Prosecutor General's Office's request is related to the need to review the status of the Taliban in the context of the changed international situation. Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Justice made similar proposals, pointing to the possibility of dialogue with the movement, which has controlled Afghanistan since 2021. The departments emphasized that the temporary lifting of the ban would allow for establishing contacts to combat other terrorist threats, including the Islamic State (IS, a terrorist group banned in the Russian Federation), as well as discussing migration and drug trafficking issues emanating from the region. The official goal of the initiative has not yet been disclosed, but government sources claim that it is a pragmatic approach to interaction with the Taliban.

The Taliban was designated a terrorist organization in Russia after the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, when the movement provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda. However, after capturing Kabul in August 2021, the Taliban announced their intention to focus on governing the country and fighting internal enemies, which forced a number of countries to reconsider their policies. The Supreme Court must now decide whether these changes are enough to temporarily lift the restrictions, while maintaining the possibility of returning to the previous status in the event of new threats.

Today, Moscow’s initiative reflects global shifts in attitudes toward the Taliban. In March 2025, China and India held their first formal talks with the movement in Doha, discussing economic cooperation and counterterrorism. Russia, for its part, has stepped up its presence in Central Asia, sending additional forces to Tajikistan to strengthen the border with Afghanistan after reports of increased ISIS activity. According to the FSB, three terrorist attacks linked to Afghan cells were prevented in the first quarter of 2025, underscoring the importance of dialogue with the Taliban to ensure regional security.

The reaction to the Prosecutor General's Office's proposal was mixed. After this information appeared, citizens categorically objected to lifting the ban, since it would weaken control over the terrorist group and could lead to unpredictable consequences.