Gul Hassan, the newly appointed Taliban ambassador to Russia, arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, marking a significant step in the group’s expanding diplomatic engagement with the Russian Federation.

According to Russian state media outlet TASS, Hassan is set to officially begin his diplomatic mission as the Taliban's envoy in Moscow. A source at the Afghan embassy in Moscow also confirmed to Agence France-Presse that his arrival had been expected on Tuesday.

Hassan becomes the highest-ranking Taliban diplomat to assume a post at the Afghan embassy in Russia since the group returned to power in August 2021. He previously served as the Taliban’s consul in Quetta, Pakistan.

The Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last month that Russia had formally approved Hassan’s appointment. In a meeting in Kabul last month, Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Dmitry Zhirnov handed over Moscow’s official letter of approval to the Taliban’s acting foreign minister.

Russia had earlier removed the Taliban from its list of banned organisations and signalled its intention to elevate diplomatic ties. While Moscow, like most other governments, has not formally recognised the Taliban government, it has established extensive economic and diplomatic relations with the group.