Putin just recognized the Taliban — and it changes the board in Afghanistan.

Russia didn’t “engage.” Russia didn’t “keep channels open.” Putin accepted the Taliban ambassador’s credentials in Moscow. That’s official recognition, and it sends a signal to every country still trying to pretend there’s a middle lane: no handshake, but business as usual.

In this episode, Ahmad Shah Mohibi breaks down why Putin did it, what Russia gains, and what the U.S. withdrawal in 2021 set in motion. We get into the uncomfortable reality of the current setup: the Taliban controls the system, the borders, the banks, the checkpoints — and that’s why language games don’t change outcomes.

We also look at China’s quiet approach: stability talk on the outside, resource strategy underneath — lithium, rare earths, copper — the materials that power modern technology and global leverage.

And while social media sells “calm Afghanistan” content for clicks, this episode focuses on what that camera frame leaves out: a country where fear sets the rules, education is blocked for girls, women are erased from public life, and silence becomes survival.

Chapters:

00:00 Monologue

00:35 Putin recognizes the Taliban (what recognition actually means)

02:20 The 2021 exit and the vacuum effect

03:50 How power moves when the U.S. leaves

05:05 The money and access problem inside Taliban control

06:25 China’s play: mines, contracts, and leverage

07:40 Influencer tours vs reality on the ground

08:30 What cameras don’t show: women, girls, and fear as policy

09:25 What real stability would require

09:55 Closing

Host: Ahmad Shah Mohibi

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