Russia has become the first country to formally recognise the Taliban government in Afghanistan, sparking outrage from opposition figures.

The decision marks a major milestone for the Taliban almost four years after they swept into Kabul and took power.

Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said he hoped it would serve as an example to other countries, which have been reluctant to recognise a regime which implements a version of Sharia law along with severe restrictions on women and girls.

Others have decried the move, with former Afghan politician Fawzia Koofi saying “any move by any country to normalise relations with the Taliban will not bring peace it will legitimise impunity”.

Koofi went on to warn “such steps risk endangering not just the people of Afghanistan, but global security”.

Meanwhile, the Afghan Women’s Political Participation Network said it legitimised “a regime that is authoritarian, anti-women, and actively dismantling basic civil rights”.

The Taliban government has previously said it respects women’s rights in accordance with their interpretation of Afghan culture and Islamic law.

But since 2021, girls over the age of 12 have been prevented from getting an education, and women from many jobs. There have also been restrictions on how far a woman can travel without a male chaperone, and decrees on them raising their voices in public.

Foreign Minister Muttaqi said Moscow’s recognition, which came on Thursday, was “a new phase of positive relations, mutual respect, and constructive engagement”, describing the decision as “courageous”.

Russia’s foreign ministry said it saw the potential for “commercial and economic” co-operation in “energy, transportation, agriculture and infrastructure”, and that it would continue to help Kabul to fight against the threats of terrorism and drug trafficking.

Russia was one of very few countries that did not close down their embassy in Afghanistan in 2021 – as the Taliban swept across Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troop.

The country was also the first to sign an international economic deal with the Taliban in 2022, where they agreed to supply oil, gas and wheat to Afghanistan.

The Taliban was removed from Russia’s list of terrorist organisations in April this year.

Russian President Vladimir Putin also referred to the Taliban as an “ally” in fighting terrorism in July last year. Taliban representatives had visited Moscow for talks as early as 2018.

However, the two countries have a complex history. The Soviet Union – which included Russia – invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and fought a nine-year war that cost them 15,000 personnel.

Their decision to install a Soviet-backed government in Kabul turned the Soviets into an international pariah, and eventually led to their withdrawal in February 1989.

In its statement, the Afghan Women’s Political Participation Network noted it had not forgotten “Russia’s role in the destruction of Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion”.

“Today, its political interference and direct support for the Taliban represent a continuation of those same destructive strategies, now under the banner of diplomacy,” it said.

Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta, a former Afghan national security adviser under the predceding Western-backed government, described Russia’s decision as “regrettable”, adding: “This is just the beginning; in the absence of widespread resistance, others will follow Russia.”

Strict sanctions were placed on Afghanistan in 2021 by the United Nations Security Council, most notably the freezing of approximately $9bn (£6.6bn) in assets.

The UN has said the rules impacting women amount to “gender apartheid”, while also reporting public floggings and brutal attacks on former government officials.

Most countries closed their embassies after 2021. However, China, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Pakistan have all designated ambassadors to Kabul.