Citing Growing Worries On The Deteriorating Situation In Afghanistan, Russia Beefs Up its Military Presence In Neighbouring Tajikistan

Tajikistani President Emomali Rakhmon (left), Russian President Vladimir Putin (right)© Mikhail Metsel/TASS

ITAR-TASS: Putin and Rakhmon concerned over situation in Afghanistan

According to Kremlin spokesman, the Russian presence in Tajikistan is intended to ensure stability and security in this really volatile region

SOCHI, October 7. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and Tajikistani President Emomali Rakhmon are concerned over the situation in Afghanistan, but boosting Russian military presence in Tajikistan is out of the question, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday, commenting on the two leaders’ Tuesday meeting.

"At present, the Russian presence in Tajikistan is intended, in accordance with international law and bilateral agreements, to ensure stability and security in this really volatile region," the Kremlin spokesman said.

WNU Editor: I am reading reports from Russia that if U.S. and NATO forces leave Afghanistan next year .... much of the country would fall to the Taliban within a year. To say that the countries that are on the border with Afghanistan  are nervous is an understatement, and I will not be surprised if I will be reading even more reports in the future on Russian military build-ups in the neighbouring countries of Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. But for the moment .... this Russian move in Tajikistan is a preventive measure .... albeit at a small scale right now.

More News On Reports That Russian Will Be Reinforcing Its Base In Tajikistan In View Of The Deteriorating Security Situation IN Afghanistan

Putin, Rahmon Agree to Maintain Level of Russian Military in Tajikistan -- Sputnik
Russia Announces Helicopter Reinforcements For Tajik Base Amid Afghan Unrest -- RFE
War On Taliban 2015: Russian Military Base In Tajikistan Beefs Up Presence Amid Terror Resurgence -- IBTimes
Russia Deploys Mi-24 Helicopter Gunships Near Afghan Border -- Sputnik
Russia beefs up Tajikistan base with attack helicopters: report -- Reuters

Update: There is a price for this Russian support .... Russia Offers to Support Tajikistan…But There's a Price (Samuel Ramani, The Diplomat)

With An Eye On Afghanistan Russian Soldiers Carry Out Military Exercises in Tajikistan

Sputnik: CSTO Rapid Reaction Forces Carry Out Military Exercises in Tajikistan

CSTO holds military exercises of its rapid reaction forces on Sunday in Tajikistan.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) holds military exercises of its rapid reaction forces on Sunday in Tajikistan, CSTO said in a statement.

"Military contingents at the Harbmaydon site in the south of the country exercise units’ coordination, as well as the practical skills with elements of live firing," the statement reads.

Update: Russia Flexes Central Asia Military Might -- Defense News/AFP

WNU Editor: Tajikistan shares a border with Afghanistan .... and with the Taliban escalating their military operations in Afghanistan, fears for the future grow.

Relations Between Russia And Tajikistan Hit A Low Point

With A Russian In A Tajik Jail, Moscow Aims Its Reprisal At Migrant Workers -- New York Times

MOSCOW — The imprisonment of a Russian citizen in Tajikistan has touched off reprisals against ethnic Tajik migrant workers in Russia who say they have been unjustly targeted for arrest and deportation.

Immigration agents have rounded up at least 300 ethnic Tajiks in the last two weeks, according to the Federal Migration Service, though independent human rights workers said they believed that hundreds more might have been detained. Tajik officials said the first deportees began arriving home this week, though it was unclear how many would ultimately be expelled.

Read more ....

More News On The Deteriorating Relations Between Russia And Tajikistan

Row between Russia and Tajikistan escalates -- BBC
Afghanistan Impounds Russian Freight Plane With 'False Tail Number' -- Radio Free Europe
Russian party suggests suspending visa-free regime with Tajikistan -- RIA Novosti
Tajiks Caught In Russian Crossfire Over Pilot Jailings -- Radio Free Europe
Russia begins deporting Tajik labor migrants amid diplomatic row over jailed Russian pilot -- Washington Post/AP

Update: Tajikistan has backed down, with the Tajik President ordering the release of the jailed Russian pilots.