MOSCOW - Russia has allowed a first shipment of US equipment bound for Afghanistan to cross its territory in support of Western operations there, Interfax news agency said Tuesday, citing diplomatic sources.

The sources said that the shipment, containing non-lethal supplies, had reached Russia's border with Kazakhstan, Interfax reported.

"The transit of US non-military cargoes is being carried out within the framework of the agreement reached last year between Russia and NATO on the delivery of non-military cargoes for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan," the sources were quoted as saying.

The shipment was "a first test of similar cooperation with the United States," said one source, according to Interfax.

A US supply train bound for NATO forces in Afghanistan left the Baltic state of Latvia about two weeks ago after Russia gave its consent in a sign of thawing relations with Washington.

The US embassy in Moscow, citing the State Department, said the first train on the so-called "northern distribution network" would contain non-lethal goods such as building materials to support the military presence in Afghanistan.

The US embassy in Latvia said Washington was aiming to send 20-30 trainloads of supplies per week to Afghanistan via Latvia, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Russia and NATO reached the deal on transit of supplies for Afghanistan in April last year, but the August war in Georgia prevented the agreement being put into practice as ties deteriorated badly.

Western forces in Afghanistan have been struggling to put down a tenacious Taliban insurgency and US President Barack Obama has pledged to send more troops in a bid to stabilise the war-torn country.

The US embassy in Moscow could not immediately confirm Tuesday's report.