LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS OF RUSSIA’S POLICY FOR ENSURING REGIONAL SECURITY IN CENTRAL ASIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE AFGHAN FACTOR (2019–2024)

This study analyzes the evolution of Russia’s legal and institutional mechanisms for ensuring regional security in Central Asia between 2019 and 2024, with an emphasis on the Afghan factor. It examines how Russia’s foreign policy concepts, Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) frameworks, and multilateral diplomatic platforms have been used to address terrorism, border threats, and geopolitical challenges. The research applies a geopolitical and comparative legal-political analysis of Russian foreign policy documents, CSTO decisions, bilateral treaties, summit communiqués, and official statements. Primary sources include speeches by top state officials, CSTO operational documents, and records of the Moscow Format on Afghanistan. Findings indicate a shift from generalized CIS-focused approaches in earlier policy documents to explicit prioritization of Central Asia in the 2023 Foreign Policy Concept. The CSTO has served as the primary institutional mechanism for securing the Tajik-Afghan border, developing targeted interstate programs, and conducting joint exercises such as “Rubezh.” Diplomatically, Russia revitalized the Moscow Format to engage Afghanistan and regional stakeholders, coordinating counterterrorism strategies and addressing narcotics trafficking. The Afghan factor, especially threats from groups such as Vilayat Khorasan and the Islamic Party of Turkestan, remains central to Russia’s security agenda in the region. Between 2019 and 2024, Russia institutionalized its regional security policy through legal codification, multilateral coordination, and operational readiness. Sustained engagement with Afghanistan, including the potential reclassification of the Taliban, is viewed as essential for long-term border stability.