Russia does not plan to deploy forces to Afghanistan - deputy foreign minister

NEW DELHI, January 9. /TASS/. Russia does not plan to deploy its forces to Afghanistan and sees no grounds to consider making this step, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told reports in New Delhi on Wednesday. "I think it (the deployment of the Russian forces to Afghanistan - TASS) is totally out of the question. We don’t see any grounds for considering this step. We have long cooperated with Afghanistan’s government, and this cooperation is strengthening, gaining shape and approaching a new level. However, the Russian military presence is not an option," Ryabkov said. "I totally rule out this variant," Ryabkov noted, commenting on US President Donald Trump’s statement, who said in early 2019 that Afghanistan’s neighbors - Pakistan, Russia and India - should fight in Afghanistan. Read more