Kremlin Breaks Silence on Antisemitic Riots in Southern Russia

The Kremlin responded on Monday to the antisemitic riots that erupted in Russia's predominantly Muslim republic of Dagestan, which involved hundreds storming the region's main airport, brandishing Palestinian flags and reportedly hunting for Israeli passengers.

"It is well known and obvious that yesterday's events [at] Makhachkala airport are largely the result of external interference," said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, without offering evidence to support his accusations.

Videos circulating on social media showed angry rioters rush onto the landing field at the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, on Sunday. Some held posters with the slogans "Child killers have no place in Dagestan" and "We are against Jewish refugees," the Baza Telegram channel, which is linked to Russia's security services, reported.

Police detained some 60 rioters at the airport, which has since been closed by authorities.

By Monday morning, local police said "more than 150 active riot participants" had been identified. According to Baza, about 1,500 people took part in the unrest.

The riots come amid an intense conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas militant group in Gaza. On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history, with Israel subsequently launching its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. Over 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, the Associated Press reported. More than 8,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died, the AP said on Monday, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.

Peskov echoed earlier remarks from the head of Russia's southern Dagestan region, Sergei Melikov, who called the riots an "attempt to destabilize the situation" in the republic, and claimed the unrest was supervised from abroad, including through "pro-Ukrainian Telegram channels."

Peskov added that President Vladimir Putin will hold a meeting with his top advisers on Monday at 7:00 p.m. local time to discuss "the West's attempts to use the events in the Middle East to split Russian society."

The Kremlin spokesman said the meeting will be attended by Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, and heads of law enforcement agencies.

Peskov said Putin receives detailed reports on the situation in Dagestan from Melikov and from the FSB.

Russia's Investigative Committee has also commented on the unrest, saying that on Sunday "currently unidentified persons were on the territory of the [Makhachkala] airport," inciting riots and violence and resisting law enforcement officers and "using objects that pose a danger to others."

Dagestan's Ministry of Health said more than 20 people were injured in the incident, including police officers and civilians, with two in critical condition.

Newsweek has contacted the foreign ministries of Ukraine and Russia for comment via email.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky commented on the "appalling videos from Makhachkala, Russia, where an angry mob broke into the airport searching for Israeli citizens on the flight from Tel Aviv."

"This is not an isolated incident in Makhachkala, but rather part of Russia's widespread culture of hatred toward other nations, which is propagated by state television, pundits, and authorities," said Zelensky on his X account, accusing both Putin and Lavrov of making antiSemitic remarks recently.

"For Russian propaganda talking heads on official television, hate rhetoric is routine. Even the most recent Middle East escalation prompted antiSemitic statements from Russian ideologists.

"Russian antiSemitism and hatred toward other nations are systemic and deeply rooted. Hatred is what drives aggression and terror. We must all work together to oppose hatred," Zelensky added.

Do you have a tip on a world news story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Russia-Ukraine war? Let us know via worldnews@newsweek.com.

Update 10/30/23, 7:50 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.