Russia said on Thursday it had accepted the credentials of a new ambassador of Afghanistan, making it the first nation to recognise the Taliban government of the country. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow saw good prospects to develop ties and would continue to support Kabul in security,

A former senior Taliban official told CBS News that while the move was welcome, "Russia and China can't financially support us the way the Americans did."

Russia has become the first country in the world to formally recognize Afghanistan's Taliban government. This improves the radical group's standing on the world stage, and puts pressure on the West to follow suit.