Anti-Semitism Rises in Russia Amid Dagestan Airport Riot
Rioters breached Makhachkala Airport in Dagestan as they searched for passengers of a flight from Tel Aviv (Wikimedia Commons).
Hundreds of rioters stormed Makhachkala Airport in the capital of Russia’s Muslim-majority Dagestan Republic on October 29, according to the New York Times. The rioters held Palestinian flags and signs as they searched for passengers of a flight from Tel Aviv. Videos from the scene show them asking people leaving the airport for their passports to prove their nationality, before breaking into the airport as airport employees hid. Later that night, the rioters broke onto the runway, unsuccessfully attempting to board the plane from Tel Aviv.
The chaos left at least 20 injured. A criminal investigation has identified 150 protestors, of whom 83 have been arrested so far. However, police did not try to physically stop the group until they entered the runway, rather telling them not to start a pogrom and block roads. In fact, one video shows police saying that they understand the rioters’ position and are ready to stand and chant with them.
According to Israeli intelligence, several Jews, including some Israeli citizens, were at the airport at the time of the riot. Israel said that it expects Russian authorities to protect all Israeli citizens and Jews within their country and to act decisively against the rioters.
Russian President Vladimir Putin blamed Western special services for the attack, saying they instigated the riot via social media from Ukrainian territory. The Dagestan government claimed that pro-Ukrainian conspirators inflamed the public in Makhachkala to destabilize the Russian government.
According to Meduza, in reality, several Telegram channels helped organize the riot, notably Morning Dagestan, founded by former State Duma Deputy Ilya Ponomarev. Morning Dagestan shared a flight schedule showing the arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv, encouraging people to protest at the airport. Telegram founder Pavel Durov, whose platform rarely bans channels, announced on his Telegram channel on October 30 that his platform would ban Morning Dagestan for inciting violence.
According to Meduza, on October 28, Morning Dagestan also shared a screenshot of an anonymous text conversation saying that a hotel in Dagestan was “full of Jews,” causing a group of protestors to gather outside and throw stones at the building. A sign “strictly prohibiting” Israeli citizens and Jews from entering later appeared at the hotel. In Russia’s other Caucasus republics, residents protested the potential arrival of Israeli refugees, called for Jewish residents to leave, and set fire to a Jewish cultural center that was under construction.
Instability in Russia’s Caucasus republics has been a thorn in its side since Soviet times, with tensions occasionally escalating to threaten the Russian government. In fact, Putin gained prominence partly due to his success in the Second Chechen War, which he waged in response to terrorist attacks supposedly instigated by Caucasus separatists. Russia must control domestic unrest in the Caucasus if it hopes to concentrate its resources on progressing in its war against Ukraine.