Travel Blogger Finds Unexpected Welcome for Russians in Afghanistan

Russian travel writer Maxim Golyshev recently visited Afghanistan, sharing a surprising account of local attitudes toward his countrymen in his personal blog, 'Disorderly Travels' on the Zen platform.

Golyshev described Afghans as exceptionally kind people who are, in his words, 'very favorably disposed towards guests from Russia.' He admitted his preconceptions were challenged. 'When you see only people in national dress and Pashtun hats on the streets, you can't help but feel surrounded by militants and mujahideen,' he wrote. 'But the reality turned out to be completely different.'

The warmth of the reception was unexpected, he noted, given the history of the Soviet-Afghan war. Golyshev believes that 'time has genuinely healed this wound.'

Before his trip, he learned of a song from the war era titled 'Vivat, My Dear Shuravi'—'Shuravi' being the local term for Soviet soldiers, later applied to all Russians. During his visit, when asked in English where he was from, Golyshev answered 'Shuravi.'

'Every single time, my conversation partners broke into a smile, gave a thumbs up, and almost with admiration exclaimed, 'Oh, Shuravi!' I won't hide it, it felt very pleasant,' he added.

In a previous post, the blogger had characterized Afghanistan by its 'endless concrete fences,' describing Kabul's stringent security measures as excessive for streets that were 'mostly quiet and peaceful.'