Desk: Russia has once again expressed its concern regarding Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan. Alexander Sternik, director of the Third Department for CIS Affairs of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that Moscow is constantly monitoring the security situation on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border and continues to help strengthen Tajikistan's southern border.
According to Sternik, Russian security agencies are providing technical equipment, military equipment and weapons to the Tajik border forces. This assistance is part of security cooperation between Russia and Tajikistan. This help is also being provided under the five-year program of CSTO i.e. Collective Security Treaty Organization to strengthen the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border. This program was approved in 2024 and its aim is to enhance border security, surveillance and capabilities of the Tajik Border Force.
The approximately 1,300 km long border with Afghanistan is a major security front for Tajikistan. In recent times, there has been increased concern about cross-border attacks and activities of armed groups from Afghan territory. In August also, incidents of infiltration and firing on the border were reported. Keeping this security environment in mind, CSTO has also planned to provide military equipment to strengthen the border of Tajikistan. In August, the organization said that the first batch of equipment was expected to arrive in the winter of 2026 and that Russia would play a major role in this supply.
Russia's 201st military base is located in Tajikistan, which is Moscow's main military presence in Central Asia. Russia has already said that the security of the Tajik-Afghan border is one of the priorities of its regional security policy. Meanwhile, the eighth Moscow format meeting on Afghanistan is also being held today. Representatives of regional countries including India, Russia, China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan are participating in it. In the meeting, political-economic cooperation with Afghanistan as well as regional cooperation against terrorism and drug trafficking are to be discussed.
It is clear from Russia's latest activism that Moscow wants to prevent Afghanistan's instability from spreading to Central Asia. Strengthening Tajikistan's border is not just a matter of Dushanbe's security, but is also important for the Russia-led CSTO. Russia's increasing military and technological presence on the Afghan border is also being seen as an attempt to maintain Moscow's strategic hold in Central Asia.