Russia’s Deputy Chairman of the Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, has said that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) caused less harm to Russia than Western-backed civic organisations that, he claims, sought to undermine the country’s unity.

In an article published in the Russian journal Rodina, Medvedev wrote that while the IEA had long been designated as a terrorist organisation, its actions did not inflict the same level of damage on Russia as what he described as Western-supported institutions operating under the banner of academic or humanitarian work.

“Let us be honest: the Taliban (IEA) movement, long listed as a terrorist organisation, has caused modern Russia far less damage than all those pseudo-scientific institutions whose aim is to dismantle our country under the guise of aiding the oppressed,” Medvedev stated.

He added that such organisations have consistently pursued one objective: “to break apart the multiethnic people of Russia.”

Medvedev’s remarks come amid a shift in Russia’s official stance toward Afghanistan. In April, Russia’s Supreme Court suspended the ban on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which had previously been included on the country’s list of terrorist organisations.

The Afghan national accused of shooting two U.S. National Guard members in Washington, D.C., is facing new federal charges that could allow prosecutors to seek the death penalty, authorities said.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced that Rahmanullah Lakanwal has been charged with transporting a firearm and a stolen weapon in interstate commerce with intent to commit a serious crime, Fox News reported on Wednesday. One Guard member, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, was killed in the November 26 attack, while Andrew Wolfe was seriously injured.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said moving the case from Superior Court to federal court allows for a careful review of whether the death penalty is warranted. She noted the impact on Beckstrom’s family and said Wolfe faces a lengthy recovery.

Lakanwal remains charged under D.C. law with first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill and multiple firearms offenses. An FBI affidavit states the revolver used in the shooting was stolen from a Seattle home in May 2023 and later given to Lakanwal in Washington state, where he also purchased additional ammunition.

Investigators say Lakanwal searched locations in Washington, D.C., including the White House, shortly after buying the ammunition. The shooting occurred near the White House on November 26, according to court records.

Russia has expressed strong interest in constructing a railway through Afghanistan as part of broader efforts to strengthen transport and trade links with countries in the Global South, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk said.

Speaking to Russia 24 television, Overchuk noted that expanding connectivity with southern markets would help diversify Russia’s transport and logistics routes. He said various options for building a railway across Afghan territory are currently under discussion, with a focus on both western and eastern corridors.

Overchuk added that Russian specialists are actively studying the feasibility of the project and are involved in technical consultations related to the proposed railway.

His remarks follow earlier statements by Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov, who said last year that Russia and Uzbekistan were jointly preparing a feasibility study for the Trans-Afghan railway, aimed at developing international transport corridors.

Subsequently, the transport ministers of Russia and Uzbekistan signed agreements to move into the development phase of the Trans-Afghan railway project, which is expected to extend southward to Pakistan.

Uzbekistan, which already has a direct rail connection with Afghanistan, has positioned itself as a regional logistics hub linking Russia, Central Asia and South Asia.

In November 2024, during a visit to Kabul, Overchuk told officials of the Islamic Emirate that Moscow was keen to participate in the Trans-Afghan railway project, describing it as a key initiative to enhance connectivity across Central Asia and the broader Eurasian region.