Afghan Taliban Aims To Help Russia's Labor Crisis

Memri

03-07-2025

Moscow is increasing its cooperation with rogue states and regimes, against a background of confrontation with the West. In a move marking a significant geopolitical and domestic policy shift, Russia has officially suspended its ban on engaging with the Afghan Taliban, drawing closer to cooperation with Afghan authorities. One motive for this growing cooperation is to offset Russia's labor shortage with Afghan workers. However, this policy of the Kremlin's does not find favor among patriotic and nationalist groups, especially given growing interethnic tensions.
On April 17, 2025, Russia's Supreme Court suspended the country's ban on Taliban activities in Russia. The decision came into force on May 26, and was quickly followed by a gathering on June 18-21, when a delegation from the Taliban movement attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2025 (SPIEF).
The official delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan attends the SPIEF-2025, St, Petersburg. (Source: Kirill Zykov / RIA Novosti via Parlamentskaya Gazeta media).[1]
After the conference, the head of the Russian Business Centre in Afghanistan, Rustam Khabibullin, in an interview with Baza media, stated that the Taliban delegation had agreed at the forum to bring 1,000 Afghan workers to regions in Russia.[2] According to Baza, one hundred Afghan citizens were already working at construction sites in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Tatarstan. Khabibullin noted that the majority of such workers are "installers, welders, painters, electricians and other highly qualified specialists." It's expected that the new group of Afghan workers will be employed in Chechnya, Dagestan, and Krasnodar Krai. In addition, Khabibullin stated that "a group of construction specialists from Afghanistan" will be deployed in the "liberated Russian territories - DPR and LPR."[3] The Head of the Russian Business Centre asserted that Afghan construction specialists would be tasked with "clearing the territory and restoring infrastructure." "There is a great need for Afghan specialists in Russia," concluded Rustam Khabibullin.[4]
Indeed, Russia is experiencing a severe labor shortage, exacerbated by a difficult demographic situation, ongoing hostilities in Ukraine, and growing social tensions towards migrants. By the end of 2024, according to Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, the shortage of qualified personnel in Russia had reached 1.5 million people (relying on data from Russia's Labour Ministry). The greatest demand is in construction, transportation, housing, and the communal services sectors.[5] At the same time, Rosstat[6] assessed the general labor shortage indicator at 2.2 million people.[7]
With these numbers in mind, several specialists interviewed by Kavkazskii Uzel media assessed the news about the possible arrival of 1,000 Afghan workers as a purely political gesture indicating Moscow's new disposition towards Kabul.[8] For instance, political scientist Denga Khalidov noted that Russia is simply making "a soft diplomatic step towards Afghanistan," demonstrating its readiness for cooperation. "I doubt that a thousand workers from Afghanistan can solve the shortage of construction workers in Russia," concluded the political scientist.[9] Professor of the Department of Economic and Social Geography of Russia at Moscow State University Natalia Zubarevich agrees: "This is a drop in the ocean. Here are the numbers: last year 47,000 foreign specialists were attracted to Russia. In total, we have 72 million people employed (in the economic sector) – I'm talking about the skilled labour force." According to the professor, Chechnya and Dagestan alone require a greater number of workers than those arriving from Afghanistan.[10]
The official delegation of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan at SPIEF-2025, St, Petersburg. (Source Maxim Bogodvid/RIA Novosti, via Gazeta.Ru media).[11]
This is happening against a backdrop of growing social tensions towards foreign workers and an unprecedented tightening of immigration laws in Russia. For instance, according to the Levada polling agency report of May 16, 2025, two thirds of respondents (66%) believe that migrants increase the crime rate; more than half stated that migrants take jobs from Russians (56%); every second respondent thinks that migrants "destroy" Russian culture (52%); every other respondent disagreed with a statement that migrants in general contribute to the development of the Russian economy (51%). Most respondents believe that the Russian government should limit the influx of immigrants (70%).[12]
Thus, news about the arrival of specialists from Afghanistan caused discontent in patriotic groups. For example, the largest nationalist organization in the country, the "Russian Community," via its Telegram account, wondered how many of these Afghan workers took part in hostilities in their own country and "overthrew the existing legitimate regime there," or were involved in terrorist and sabotage activities. "It's not clear in what way the Afghan laborers are better than the local workers and why such a need arose...The vise of the people's friendship continues to squeeze Russia with its steel spikes," concluded the group.[13] The post attracted over 7,000 views.
The fascist and monarchist "Sons of Monarchy" Telegram channel managed by Russian nationalist Roman Antonovski, agreed: "Russia needs Afghan migrants even less than Tajik ones. They are even deported from Iran and Pakistan. Perhaps we should consider the negative experience of these countries, which have faced the fact that [streams of] Afghan migrants and refugees are swarmed with criminals, Islamists and saboteurs?" The post gathered more than 12,000 views.[14] In yet another post dedicated to the issue, Antonovski predicted that Afghan migrants would become an even bigger problem for Russia than Tajik ones, dubbing the initiative "suicide, sabotage, and provocation."[15]
Another voice came from the neo-Nazi "NSN - Sector Rus," which greatly exaggerated the news, writing about a "massive influx of migrant workers from Afghanistan."[16] In turn, a corresponding post by the xenophobic "Manynational" Telegram channel gathered an absolute majority of negative and indignant reactions, with more than 166,000 views.
A screenshot by the xenophobic and nationalist "Manynational" Telegram channel dedicated to the Taliban delegation's visit to the SPIEF-2025. The overwhelming majority of users left mocking, angry or indignant reactions to the news that Afghan workers would be invited to Russia. (Source: Telegram Manynational).[17]
Objective measures of the Russian economy indicate that an influx of foreign labor is required. Yet many patriotic groups, amid rising nationalism and worsening interethnic relations, oppose foreign workers on Russian soil. It is safe to assume that antagonism to the state policy in this sphere by nationalist groups will only grow.