Russia Pulls Out Prematurely

The impact of Operation Cyclone was not confined to the rugged terrain of Afghanistan; it resonated on the global stage. The mujahedeen, empowered by the resources provided by the CIA, emerged as a formidable adversary for the Soviet forces. The conflict took on the contours of asymmetrical warfare, with the mujahedeen adeptly wielding weaponry and strategies to inflict significant losses on the Soviet military machine. The operation's reverberations extended to the Cold War itself, as it played a pivotal role in weakening the Soviet Union's grip on the region, hastening its eventual dissolution, and redrawing the geopolitical map.