INTERNATIONAL — March 2, 2026
Russian Citizen Pavel Demchenko Freed from Taliban Detention, Embassy Says
The Russian Embassy in Kabul confirmed that citizen Pavel Demchenko, previously detained in Afghanistan on suspicion of espionage, has been freed. Taliban officials offered no comment on the matter.
The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Amu TV — 2 min read
The Russian Embassy in Kabul stated that Pavel Demchenko, a Russian citizen previously reported detained in Afghanistan, is now free.
Russia's state news agency TASS reported Monday, citing the embassy, that "Russian Federation citizen Pavel Demchenko is free."
Some media had earlier reported Demchenko's arrest in Nangarhar province on suspicion of espionage, followed by his transfer to Kabul. TASS provided no details on the purpose of his trip to Afghanistan.
In recent years, the number of Russian tourists visiting Afghanistan has increased. Previously, another Russian, ethnologist Svyatoslav Kaverin, was detained by the Taliban on suspicion of smuggling antiquities. Kaverin, affiliated with the Paleovatanographic Research Center and the Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Oriental Studies, was arrested in Kunduz on July 19 last year on charges of attempting to smuggle jewelry and held for about a month and a half before his release in Asad.
Taliban officials have not officially commented on Demchenko's release.
Read the original reporting at Amu TV →
Reliability assessment
Direct attribution to Russian Embassy in Kabul via TASS with named individual (Pavel Demchenko) and concrete statement of release; prior detention reports are second-hand but core claim of freedom is on-record from diplomatic source.
The source language reads straight.
Across the newsrooms
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Amu TV
Originating
Filed under
International — Russia, Taliban, Pavel Demchenko, Nangarhar, Russian Embassy
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