US military opens transit route between Russia and Afghanistan

The US military has opened its transit route between Russia and Afghanistan almost a year after Moscow first agreed to allow its territory to be used for the transfer of non-lethal NATO cargo.

Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have all reached similar agreements with the United States in recent weeks following a diplomatic tour of the region by commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) General David Petraeus.

US Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) spokeswoman Cynthia Bauer told Jane's at the beginning of March that the first US shipment was now en route for Afghanistan via Russian territory. She confirmed that the route begins in the Latvian capital, Riga, before continuing through Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Such a route would most probably end in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif.

She added that it was a "mixed-mode route", although the majority of the distance is understood to be covered by rail.