Russia Pushes for Expanded Security Cooperation with Afghanistan Ebadullah.Ebadi Tue, 05/26/2026 - 20:55 Author Mitra Majeedy Profile Photo Author Job Journalist Afghanistan Alexander Bortnikov, Russia's director of the Federal Security Service (FSB), has emphasized the importance of expanding counterterrorism contacts with Afghan officials during a meeting with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. He stressed that Moscow is working toward political stability in Afghanistan and the normalization of relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Russia’s TASS news agency, quoting the Russian official, reported that shared security depends on peace in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.