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North Korean, Taliban military officials hold talks at Russian war games

Nknews • October 5, 2026

A North Korean military official met a Taliban counterpart on the sidelines of a Russian military exercise and weapons expo last week, where the DPRK joined Afghanistan and dozens of other countries as an observer.

The Russian Defense Ministry announced Saturday that North Korea was among the 33 states that dispatched observers to its Center-2026 strategic command and staff exercise at the Chebarkul training ground, alongside eight states that sent contingents to take part in the war games.

Anton Sokolin is the data correspondent at NK News. He previously worked at Reuters, TASS and the Korea Trade Promotion Corporation (KOTRA).

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Taliban and North Korea Engage in Military Talks at Russian Exercises During Russia's Center-2026 strategic military exercises, Taliban representatives met with North Korean military officials. The talks occurred from September 28 to October 3, 2026, with both nations attending as observers. The Afghan delegation was led by Nasibullah Madani, who discussed military cooperation and training with North Korean attaché Ro Ki Chol. No specific agreements were announced following the discussions. The Taliban's participation in these talks coincides with their expanding military ties with Russia, including a military-technical cooperation agreement signed in May 2026. The meeting highlights the growing military collaboration among nations with contentious international relations. 3 sources 45

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Afghanistan North Korea Russia