OREANDA-NEWS  The trade turnover between Russia and Afghanistan has grown significantly after the Taliban came to power (the movement is recognized by the UN as a terrorist), now it has crossed the one billion dollar mark, Rustam Khabibullin, head of the Russian Business Center in Afghanistan, told RIA Novosti.

"Trade turnover between Russia and Afghanistan is growing rapidly. For example, if in 2022 it was about 170 million dollars, now it has already crossed the one billion dollar mark," Khabibullin said.

According to him, "this happened due to the flight of US and NATO forces, which in every possible way prevented the active development of economic and political relations between the two countries."

In early August 2021, the Taliban* intensified their offensive against the Afghan government forces, entered Kabul on August 15 and the next day declared that the war was over. For the last two weeks of August, a massive evacuation of Western citizens and Afghans cooperating with them took place from Kabul airport, which was under the protection of the American military. On the night of August 31, the US military left Kabul airport, ending almost 20 years of US military presence in Afghanistan. In early September of the same year, the composition of the interim government of Afghanistan was announced, headed by Mohammad Hassan Akhund, who held the chair of the Foreign Minister during the first rule of the Taliban* and has been under UN sanctions since 2001.

*The movement is under UN sanctions for terrorist activities.