On a tense Monday, following the disquieting event of a mob attack at an airport in Dagestan, Russian President Vladimir Putin convened a high-level security meeting.
The unrest unfurled on Sunday, as a plane from Tel Aviv, Israel touched down in Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan. A throng of infuriated individuals swarmed the tarmac, hunting for Israeli passengers amidst a backdrop of escalating Middle-East tensions, as per Russian media outlets.
This is reported by Voanews.
Dagestan's health ministry reported over 20 injuries with two individuals in critical condition, encompassing both civilians and law enforcement personnel.
The local police detained 60 individuals, though the filing of charges remains unclear. However, Russia's Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the orchestration of mass unrest.
The crowd effortlessly breached onto the landing field, encircling the aircraft owned by Russian carrier Red Wings, as police seemingly struggled to restrain the mob.
Images and videos circulated on social media depicted individuals brandishing Palestinian flags, attempting to overturn a police vehicle, and bearing handwritten placards with anti-Israeli messages.
During the chaos, some mob members scrutinized the passports of arriving passengers, aiming to pinpoint Israelis. The upheaval was later quelled, leading to the closure of Makhachkala airport until early Tuesday, as announced by Russia's civil aviation authority, Rosaviatsia.
Kremlin officials attributed the unrest to "external interference," targeting the ongoing Middle-East crisis to sow discord within Russian society.
The Dagestani Governor, Sergei Melikov, further elaborated that the disruption was coordinated via a Telegram channel operated by "traitors" based in Ukraine, intending to destabilize Dagestan.
