Putin blamed Ukraine and the West for anti-Semitic riots in Dagestan

Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting in the Kremlin that the unrest at Makhachkala airport was “inspired through social networks from Ukraine through Western intelligence services.” “It would be nice for those who supposedly care so much about the citizens of Israel to conduct an investigation: what are their special services doing in Ukraine if they initiate pogroms in Russia. Scum, and that's all. It’s impossible to say any other way!” – Putin said.

Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry made a similar statement. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, in turn, denies these accusations.

The Ukrainian Ambassador to Israel blamed Russia for the riots at Makhachkala airport. “The brutal attack was planned by the Russians and carried out through the Russian intelligence services, the FSB. This is exactly what they need - for local residents to express their anger against someone, and not against the government... They discovered that Jews are an easy target for accusations,” Ambassador Korniychuk said in an interview with Ynet.

Later, the head of Dagestan, Sergei, spoke out in support of the Mountain Jews: “On enemy resources these days, militant calls were spread against one of our indigenous peoples - the Mountain Jews, who have lived in Dagestan for many centuries. These are the same Dagestanis as you and me... We will not allow anyone to infringe on the rights of our fellow countrymen. Any such attempts will be brutally suppressed,” Melikov said.

The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, invited the participants in the pogrom at the Makhachkala airport to go to war in Ukraine. “If there is such zeal and desire to deal with the enemy, I only welcome it! But it needs to be directed in the right direction – to Ukraine. These are the same forces there, the real Satanists, fascists and servants of Iblis, who support the killing of Palestinians,” he wrote in his Telegram channel.

Israeli authorities have strongly recommended that their citizens avoid traveling to the North Caucasus. “Supporters of terrorists burst into the airport in Dagestan, Russia and were looking for Jews to lynch,” said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Gilad Erdan at the next Security Council meeting dedicated to the escalation around the Gaza Strip.

In total, more than 80 people who participated in the pogrom have already been detained in Dagestan. Let us recall that on October 29, a crowd gathered near the Makhachkala airport and tried to prevent Israelis arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv from entering the city.

Последние новости
Syrian Circassian Nurdin Karaf May Have Been Tortured After Refusing to Fight in Ukraine
Human rights
Syrian Circassian Nurdin Karaf May Have Been Tortured After Refusing to Fight in Ukraine
17 August 2026

According to Circassian activists, Syrian Circassian Nurdin (Najmuddin) Karaf may have been forcibly conscripted into the Russian army and died after being tortured in a mobilization camp. His family was previously informed of his death, but his body was allegedly not returned to them. The International Circassian Committee announced this on August 11.

Makhachev triumphantly defended his UFC title and raised the Russian flag
Sport
Makhachev triumphantly defended his UFC title and raised the Russian flag
16 August 2026

34-year-old Islam Makhachev, a native of Dagestan, Lak by nationality and UFC welterweight champion, defeated Irishman Ian Machado Gary at UFC 330 in Philadelphia. The fight at the Xfinity Mobile Arena lasted all five rounds.

Human rights
"They’re going to kill me": St. Petersburg lawyer of Chechen descent found with signs of strangulation
16 August 2026

Shamil Akhaev, a 44-year-old lawyer who had lost contact on August 10, has been found dead. Media outlets and online groups tracking the search reported the news on August 15. His body was discovered in a wooded area.

CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a
Politics
CSTO Secretary General Urges Armenia to Decide on Participation in the Organization Within a "Reasonable Timeframe"
16 August 2026

It is time for Armenia to decide how it will participate in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), stated the organization's Secretary General, Taalatbek Masadykov. According to him, the issue needs to be resolved "within a reasonable timeframe."