Lavrov warns of western-backed ‘color revolutions,’ raises concerns over Afghanistan’s regional security

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that any country, including Russia’s partners in Central Asia, could become a target of what he described as Western-orchestrated “color revolutions,” while raising concerns about security threats emerging from Afghanistan.

According to Russia’s TASS news agency, Lavrov made the remarks on Friday, October 16, during a conference on security in Central Asia and Afghanistan in Moscow, attended by representatives of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

Lavrov said attempts to initiate such movements in several neighbouring countries had already been thwarted.

Lavrov Raises Concerns Over Afghanistan’s Security Legacy

Referring to the two decades of US and NATO military presence in Afghanistan, Lavrov said the consequences of what he described as an unsuccessful occupation would take a long time to overcome.

He also warned that radical groups were seeking to use Afghanistan as a launching pad to expand threats towards Central Asia and Russia.

This comes as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly stated that Afghan territory will not be used against any neighboring country, and that no armed group will be permitted to operate.

The meeting was held with the participation of representatives from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.