Maxim Shugaley was one of the Russians who arrived in Kabul following the Taliban overthrow in August. He is a mysterious figure that works for Kremlin ally Yevgeniy Prgozhin and whom the U.S. considers responsible for interference in the 2016 elections.
Mr. Shugaley is a political operator, sociologist and travelled to Kabul in order to find areas where Taliban can work with Mr. Prigozhin. He is a business tycoon and is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin. To determine the potential opportunities for Moscow, Mr. Shugaley met with top Islamist officials and did opinion polls.