MOSCOW, April 29. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin and permanent members of the Russian Security Council discussed the issues of ensuring security in southern Russia, including in relation to the situation in Afghanistan, at a briefing session on Friday.

The head of state noted that in terms of ensuring Russia’s security, the central issues are "of course, the events related to providing aid to our people in Donbass, to the special military operation in Ukraine."

"Yet, we also have other issues that are of great interest precisely from the point of view of ensuring our country’s security, including in the southern direction. So, today, let’s discuss this issue in relation to events in Afghanistan and in that region in general, in that direction," Putin added and gave the floor to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The meeting was also attended by Speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko, Speaker of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Presidential Administration Head Anton Vaino, Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev, Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, FSB Director Alexander Bortnikov, Director of the Foreign Intelligence Service Sergey Naryshkin, Presidential Envoy for environment protection, ecology and transport Sergey Ivanov.