Protests in Russia’s Dagestan Airport after Arrival of Plane from Israel
Makhachkala, Dagestan – Hundreds of anti-Israel protesters stormed Dagestan airport in Makhachkala on Sunday, forcing officials to close the airport and divert flights. The incident occurred shortly after a plane from Israel landed at the airport.
Local health authorities reported that around 20 individuals were injured, two of whom are in critical condition. Makhachkala is known for its large Muslim community and is located in the north Caucasus region of Russia.
Video footage obtained by Reuters showed predominantly young men waving Palestine flags, smashing glass doors, and chanting “Allahu Akbar” or “God is Greatest” as they ran through the airport. Outside the airport, another group rocked a white truck with the initials of a patrol service written in Russian.
Russian aviation authority, Rosaviatsia, deployed security forces who successfully removed the protesters by 10:20 p.m. Moscow time. The passengers on the plane were relocated to a safe place, according to the security forces.
In a separate incident, a Jewish center under construction in Nalchik, the capital of the nearby Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, was set on fire, as reported by local emergency officials.
As a result of the airport disruption, Rosaviatsia announced that the airport will remain closed until November 6. Russia’s Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal probe into the incident.
Following the events, Israel urged Russian authorities to protect Israelis and Jews within their jurisdiction. The Israeli ambassador in Moscow is working closely with Russian authorities to address the issue. A statement from the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem asserted that Israel views any attempts to harm its citizens and Jews worldwide as a grave concern.
Ukraine’s President, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, expressed his appallment over the events in Dagestan, placing the blame on Russia’s official messages about Israel. Zelenskiy stated, “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.”
The Kremlin has not yet responded to Reuters’ request for comment regarding the incident.
Social media footage also showed some protesters attempting to approach the aircraft, while the passengers remained safely on board. The FlightRadar24 tracking website confirmed that the plane arrived from Israel based on its tail number.
Regional leaders in Dagestan, as well as in two other areas of the northern Caucasus, called for calm in light of the incident. Dagestan’s chief mufti also made a similar appeal.
Russia has made efforts to maintain contact with all sides involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas. However, Israeli authorities expressed their dissatisfaction with Russia’s invitation of a Hamas delegation to Moscow, resulting in the Israeli foreign ministry summoning the Russian ambassador on Sunday.
The situation remains tense, and further investigations are expected regarding the incident at the airport and the attack on the Jewish center. The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles are being upheld in the reporting of this news.
Writing by Dan Williams in Jerusalem; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Lisa Shumaker