Putin: Western intelligence services, primarily the United States, help and finance terrorist groups

Astana (ST): Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that Western intelligence services, led by the United States, are aiding and financing terrorist groups in a way that leads to an increase in the hotbeds of tension on the Russian borders.

Putin said during a session of the “Russia-Central Asia” summit in the Kazakh capital Astana today: On our southern border there is a burning hotbed fraught with the influx of refugees and terrorist threats, and at the same time Western intelligence services, primarily the American and British, are working to inflame the anti-Taliban formations, whose aim is to  bomb some border areas near our country.

Putin added: We are aware of the risks and threats associated with this and therefore maintain the necessary level of contact with the Taliban leadership, stressing that it is in the interest of the border countries to prevent a relapse of the civil war in Afghanistan.

K.Q.