On April 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation decided to suspend the ban on the activities of the Taliban movement in the country, previously recognized as a terrorist organization. As RIA Novosti reported, this decision, which came into effect immediately, was the result of a petition from the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, filed in late March. Prior to this, the Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021, had been on the list of banned organizations since 2003, which excluded any official contacts with the movement. The court hearing was held behind closed doors, and the reasons for the decision were not publicly disclosed, but experts associate it with Moscow's intention to develop diplomatic and economic ties with Afghanistan in the context of the changed geopolitical situation.

The court's decision marks a major shift in Russia's foreign policy, which is aimed at strengthening its position in Central Asia. The lifting of the ban allows Russia to establish formal contacts with the Taliban, who control Afghanistan, to discuss security issues, combating drug trafficking, and economic cooperation. Russian authorities have repeatedly emphasized that stability in Afghanistan is in the interests of the region, especially against the backdrop of threats from other terrorist groups such as the Islamic State (ISIS), which is banned in Russia.

According to TASS, the process of removing the Taliban from the list of terrorist organizations began in November 2024, when a corresponding bill was submitted to the State Duma. In December 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed a law allowing for the revision of the status of banned organizations, which provided the legal basis for the current decision.