US dismisses Putin’s claim that anti-Israel riot at Dagestan was organised by Ukraine and West
The US has rejected Vladimir Putin’s claim that the Ukraine and the West were behind a riot in Russia’s Dagestan where thousands of people stormed an airport to target a flight landing from Israel. Mr Putin on Monday, without presenting any evidence, accused unnamed Ukrainian agents of Western spy agencies of “trying to inspire” the rampage at the airport late on Sunday which injured more than 20 people. The Russian president claimed the chaos was part of America’s efforts to weaken Russia. None of those injured in the attack were Israeli nationals, reported The Associated Press. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller answered a question on Russia publicly blaming outsiders for the attack. “I have seen their comments about Ukraine, that is absurd obviously. I don’t have any assessment to offer,” he said. “I have seen reports that they may be arresting people. I don’t know the full extent of the action they will take. I will say we believe that they should hold anyone responsible accountable,” the official said. US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also responded to the allegations by Mr Putin. “Classic Russian rhetoric, when something goes bad in your country, you blame somebody else,” he said at a White House briefing, adding that the West had “nothing to do with this”. “This is just hate, bigotry and intimidation, pure and simple," Mr Kirby said and criticised the Russian president for not doing more to condemn the violence, which he described as “a chilling demonstration of hate”. Photos and videos of the rampage showed scores of angry men, some carrying banners with antisemitic slogans, rushing onto the tarmac of the airport in Makhachkala, the capital of the predominantly Muslim region, looking for Israeli passengers on the flight from Tel Aviv. Mr Putin blamed the US for sowing chaos in the Middle East and for stoking the conflict in Ukraine, where Russia’s invasion is entering its second winter. Without presenting any evidence or intelligence, he accused “agents of Western special services” in Ukraine of using social media networks to provoke the rampage in Dagestan to weaken Russia. “I’m not certain if everyone in the US leadership is aware of that,” he said. “It wouldn’t hurt if they run a probe into what their special services have been doing in Ukraine, trying to inspire pogroms in Russia. They are real scum, it’s impossible to call them otherwise.” “The ruling elites of the US and its satellites are the main beneficiaries of the global instability,” Mr Putin said. “They are earning their bloody rent from it.” Police officers and civilians were among those injured in the violence. Two of them were in critical condition, regional health authorities said. More than 80 people were detained in the unrest, according to police. Russia’s Investigative Committee has opened a criminal probe on charges of organising mass unrest. Read More Kyiv troops advance on two fronts as Putin’s air defences ‘struck in Crimea’ – live If Putin dies, this is what would happen in Russia Putin ally Lukashenko calls for ceasefire in ‘stalemate’ Ukraine war Ukraine bombards Russia with drones as Putin suffers losses in fight for Avdiivka War-weary mothers, wives and children of Ukrainian soldiers demand a cap on military service time From Stalin to Putin, abortion has had a complicated history in Russia
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Russian soldiers accused of killing family of nine as they slept in Russian-occupied Ukrainian town
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The storming of Dagestan airport: How the mob in search of Jewish passengers unfolded
More than a thousand pro-Palestine protesters stormed a Russian airport on Sunday evening after rumours swirled that “Israeli refugees” were arriving from Tel Aviv. The group stormed into the Makhachkala airport, located in the Republic of Dagestan, and rushed onto the landing field, chanting antisemitic slogans and seeking passengers arriving on the Tel Aviv flight, Russian news agencies and social media reported. Authorities quickly closed the airport in the capital of the predominantly Muslim region and police converged on the facility. Dagestan’s ministry of health said more than 20 people were injured, with two in critical condition. It said the injured included police officers and civilians. The local leader has since blamed Ukraine - he claimed he had “reliable information” that the rumours of refugees was started by a Telegram channel outside of Russia - but has not provided any evidence. Here is everything we know about what the Russian authorities are calling a riot. 7pm: Crowds gather in the car park of the airport Tensions arose when, the previous day, a local Telegram channel with more than 64,000 followers claimed that Israeli refugees were staying at a hotel inland near the border with Chechnya. They called for demonstrations in the centre of the Makhachkala, managing to encourage only small crowds to attend. Planned demonstrations for a second day, this time at the airport, escalated after the channel posted a screenshot from a flight tracker showing a Russian plane descending across the Georgian border into Dagestan. The screenshot was posted at 6.56pm local time (3.56pm GMT). Demonstrators had already gathered outside the airport prior to this message. The Independent has reviewed the flight history of (Red Wings) RWZ4728 and can confirm that it did arrive from Tel Aviv. It arrived in Makhachkala just after 7.15pm local time. At 7.01pm, the channel wrote: “Everyone to the airport!” 8.10pm: Someone surrounded and accosted by the swelling crowd A video emerged of a crowd of men surrounding someone they suspect of being from Israel. The channel that had called for the demonstration had urged the crowds to check the passports of those leaving the airport. “Every car must be followed by our car - we must identify everyone,” it wrote. In the video, the suspected Israeli’s passport is flicked through as others film the ordeal. Images show a woman holding a sign nearby that reads: “We are against Jewish refugees.” Videos showed the group shouting: “Death to the Zionists.” 8.20pm: The crowd storms the airport Just after 8.20pm, the first videos emerged of the protesters inside the airport. They appear to have stormed the entrance to the international terminal, from where they had moved after gathering in the car park. At 8.25pm, the channel urged people to return to the car park. They wrote: “Attention! Brothers! What we have done so far is enough! Just go back to the exit and be there checking the cars! “There is no need to engage in vandalism!!! Tell everyone on the spot!” This appeared to have no effect on the crowd. Five minutes later, they could be seen attempting to kick down a fence to the side of the terminal. The channel posted this video alongside the caption: “This is unnecessary! Come back to inspect every car!” It then abruptly stops publishing footage of the incident before authorities temporarily shut it down. A group of Dagestani men are seen inside the terminal at 8.30pm, according to footage posted by another channel. Fifteen minutes later, the crowds are seen running through the airport, towards the runway. 9pm: Crowds reach the runway The first videos of the protesters on the runway emerged just after 9pm. One video, taken from the stairs up to the back entrance of a nearby plane, shows a few demonstrators running around the parked planes looking for flight RWZ4728. At the airport car park, where crowds continue to swell, riot police equipped with shields arrive and begin to circle the group. 9.10pm: Airport runway is closed Local media reports suggest the Makhachkala airport authorities closed their runway just after 9pm. 9.20pm: Crowds reach a Red Wing plane A portion of the crowds, now being labelled rioters by the local authorities, surround a flight they believe to be RWZ4728. It is unclear if it is the exact flight that left Tel Aviv earlier that day, but it is a Red Wings flight, and only one RW flight travelled from Israel to Dagestan that day. Russian media reports suggested that the flight from Tel Aviv was only connecting at Makhachkala before heading to Moscow, but the flight did not leave Dagestan, according to flight tracking information. 10pm: Rioters start fighting with police Minister of National Policy of Dagestan Enrik Muslimov arrives at the airport, according to local reports. One Russian state media outlet wrote: “Now the crowd has been pushed out of the runway, and almost everyone has been removed from the airport building.” Outside the building, footage shows rioters rocking a police vehicle. The Investigative Committee of Russia for the Republic of Dagestan announces it has formally opened a criminal case for organising mass riots (212 Criminal Code) Video later emerges of rioters being arrested under the Red Wings plane. It is unclear when these detentions took place. 11.30pm: Crowds start throwing rocks at security officials Videos emerge of rioters throwing stones at security officials guarding the resecured fences. There are various reports of gunfire. Footage then emerges of hundreds of rioters marching along the runway. It is unclear what time this videos were taken. According to one local state media outlet, a passenger blocked at the airport reported “riot police, military, protesters, all in a heap”. According to another outlet, about 500 police officers were sent to Makhachkala airport to contain the riots. The word “pogrom”, a reference to the killing of Jewish civilians, is appearing in multiple Russian reports of the riots at Makhachkala. Midnight: Dagestan head calls for deescalation The head of the Republic of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, laments the situation in Gaza facing Palestinians but calls for de-escalation in Makhachkala. A military chief from Chechnya makes a similar statement. Melikov wrote: “All Dagestanis empathise with the suffering of victims of the actions of unrighteous people and politicians and pray for peace in Palestine. “But what happened at our airport is outrageous and should receive an appropriate assessment from law enforcement agencies! And this will definitely be done!” 2am: Airport cleared, injuries sustained The local health ministry says roughly 20 people are injured, including at least two security officials. At least 60 people are detained and 150 rioters are identified as the main perpetrators. Crowds are then dispersed while local authorities remain at the airport. The response Mr Melikov, during a press conference, blamed the riots on Ukraine without providing evidence. “Attempts to destabilise the situation in Dagestan, including using prohibited methods associated with inciting ethnic hatred, are being carried out by our enemies, opponents of our country,” he said. “Today we have received absolutely reliable information that the channel ‘Morning of Dagestan’ is administered and regulated from the territory of Ukraine - by traitors, Banderaites.” Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky responded on Monday morning, pointing to Russian antisemitism. “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,” he said. “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.” You can read a full breakdown of the response here. Read More Sunak chairs Cobra meeting as police chief says terror threat ‘accelerating’ Jewish people in UK experiencing fearful time, says minister Biden wants to move fast on AI safeguards and will sign an executive order to address his concerns Live updates | Israel deepens military assault in the northern Gaza Strip Israel expands ground assault into Gaza as fears rise over airstrikes near crowded hospitals Cornell University sends police to Jewish center after violent, antisemitic messages posted online
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