Russia opens route for Nato vehicle transfers to Afghanistan

Russia will allow Nato to transfer armoured vehicles through its territory to Afghanistan under a new cooperation deal, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said.

Russia's Foreign Minister Lavrov shakes hands with his Afghan counterpart Rasul during a signing ceremony in Moscow Reuters

"The simplified procedure has been expanded to include armoured vehicles with fortified anti-mine protection," Lavrov told reporters at a press conference with his Afghan counterpart Zalmay Rasul.

"This is an important addition that participants of the international security-promotion forces asked about in the past."

The agreement stops short of opening up a Russian route for Nato weapons to Afghanistan. Moscow has previously allowed Nato to transfer non-combat equipment to Afghanistan, and Russian officials stressed that the new deal also only applied to vehicles that could be used for civilian purposes.

The new transit agreement is to reduce reliance on volatile Pakistan. It was not immediately clear whether the transfer would take place by air or by road.

The agreement is a sign of improving ties between Nato and Russia. Relations were frozen following Russia’s invasion of its neighbour and Nato ally Georgia.

Moscow and Nato struck a deal last weekend to boost the flow of Western military supply shipments through Russia to the front line in Afghanistan.