Reports indicate that a large number of individuals forcefully entered the main airport in the Dagestan region of Russia to express their displeasure over the arrival of an Israeli flight during the Gaza conflict.
On Sunday, this group breached airport security, with some managing to access the runway before being removed by security personnel. Russia’s interior ministry has revealed that they have identified over 150 active participants in this disturbance, leading to the arrest of 60 individuals. Among the nine injured police officers involved in the confrontations with the crowd, two were undergoing treatment at a hospital. Local news reports suggest that the airline in question was affiliated with the Russian carrier Red Wings.
Footage shared on social media from Makhachkala airport depicted frightened passengers rushing to re-enter the plane amidst a state of confusion. Videos also displayed protesters sprinting through the airport and breaking glass doors, some of them uttering anti-Semitic slurs. Some people were spotted on the runway, holding Palestinian flags, while others were observed examining the documents of arriving passengers. Numerous individuals appeared in images and videos on various local Telegram channels, positioned outside the airport as if to obstruct vehicular traffic. A separate group was noticed attempting to topple a patrol truck. In one of the videos, a demonstrator was holding a sign that read, “There is no room for child killers in Dagestan.”
The event unfolds as Israel continues to carry out extensive air raids while also expanding its ground operations in the Gaza Strip. The conflict began on October 7 when Hamas, the group governing the besieged enclave, initiated a surprise attack inside Israel. According to Gaza officials, over 8,000 Palestinians, including 3,324 children, have lost their lives in the ongoing conflict. Israeli sources report that at least 1,400 Israelis and foreigners have been killed in the Hamas attack. On Sunday night, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for Russian law enforcement agencies to take decisive action against rioters and those inciting violence against Jews and Israelis. They emphasized the need to ensure the safety of Israeli citizens and Jews, regardless of their location.
Earlier on Sunday, a fire occurred in the Jewish community located in the city of Nalchik in the neighboring republic of Kabardino-Balkaria. This information was reported by the news agency RIA Novosti. After the incident in Dagestan, Israeli security officials, as reported by various Israeli media outlets, indicated that Israeli travelers were isolated and closely monitored at Makhachkala airport. Based on the reports, the intention was to transport them straight to Moscow by air.
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