RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan risks spilling over into neighbouring countries

He told former Soviet nations at the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) summit in Kazakhstan that they must be ready to respond to cross-border incursions.

“The situation is becoming critical. Terrorists of all flavours are gaining influence there and don’t hide their plans to expand,” he claimed. “One of their targets is central Asia. We have to be prepared to respond to this contingency.”