Investigation Reveals GRU Financial Support for Taliban Operations Against U.S. Forces
Recent investigations have unveiled that the Russian military intelligence agency, known as the GRU, allocated substantial financial resources to various militant factions in Afghanistan, specifically targeting U.S. and allied military forces in the lead-up to the American withdrawal from the country. This revelation has been reported by The Insider, an investigative journalism outlet, which cites sources within the Afghan intelligence community.
According to the report, the GRU's financial backing for the Taliban involved payments averaging around $200,000 for each U.S. or coalition soldier killed, with lesser amounts disbursed for casualties among Afghan troops. The total financial commitment from Russia to the Taliban through this covert operation is estimated to be approximately $30 million. This information aligns with prior claims made in a 2020 article by The New York Times, which referenced U.S. intelligence assessments indicating that Russia had offered bounties to the Taliban for targeting coalition forces in Afghanistan.
The Insider's report connects these activities to GRU Unit 29155, a unit reputed for orchestrating various destabilizing operations worldwide, including high-profile poisonings and bombings. The investigation indicates that this unit established multiple networks of Afghan nationals who acted as intermediaries between the GRU and various armed groups in Afghanistan.
The covert operation reportedly commenced around 2015 and intensified following the election of Donald Trump in 2016. In the wake of the earlier reports, criticism arose, particularly from Democratic lawmakers, who argued that the Trump administration was not adequately responding to Russian aggression. Nonetheless, aside from a brief mention during a conversation between Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin in early 2021, the U.S. government has not taken significant actions against Russia regarding these allegations.
A group of former CIA officials who have scrutinized the intelligence on these operations have indicated that the findings corroborate long-held assessments within the U.S. intelligence community, which have often been overshadowed by political considerations. One former CIA officer articulated the frustration felt within the intelligence community regarding the lack of response to such provocations.
The chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 followed by the Taliban's rapid resurgence has altered the geopolitical landscape, leading to an increase in Moscow's engagement with the Taliban, despite the group's classification as a terrorist organization in Russia. Reports suggest that the GRU official overseeing the program remains active as a vital liaison for ongoing intelligence and military collaboration between Russia and the Taliban.
Furthermore, several operatives involved in the GRU's operations have reportedly been granted Russian citizenship and are believed to have relocated to various countries, including India and parts of Western Europe, following the U.S. exit from Afghanistan.
