Afghanistan, April 27 -- Russian Defense Minister says the primary threat against Shanghai Cooperation Organization member states originates from Afghanistan.

Sergey Shoigu, speaking on Friday at the meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization's defense ministers in Astana, Kazakhstan's capital, criticized America's efforts to regain influence in Central and South Asia after withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Shoigu states that international terrorist groups seek refuge in Afghanistan due to its politically unstable and ambiguous situation.

The Russian Defense Minister regards the deployment of US military infrastructure in the region as a direct threat to the stability of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and emphasizes that these...