Putin says Russia will not deploy its armed forces in Afghanistan

MOSCOW (Reuters) – President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia would not deploy its armed force to Afghanistan to take part in a conflict and that Moscow had learnt the lessons of the Soviet Union's decade-long failed intervention there.

Putin was speaking to a congress of the ruling United Russia party.

"It goes without saying that we do not plan to interfere in Afghanistan's domestic affairs let alone deploy our armed forces in a conflict," said Putin.

"The USSR had its own experience in that country. We have drawn the necessary lessons."

Soviet forces left Afghanistan in 1989.