DISINFO: Events in Dagestan were provoked by the West
SUMMARY
The riots in Makhachkala were inspired, including through social networks, from the territory of Ukraine by agents of Western intelligence services.
RESPONSE
Conspiracy theory aiming to deny manifestations of antisemitism in Russia. No evidence is provided to support the claim about Ukraine's or other countries' alleged involvement.
According to Russian independent site Mediazona, the protests were prompted by calls spread in Telegram channels such as “Utro Dagestan”, which Russian opposition figure Ilya Ponomarev helped to create. Ponomarev, currently exiled in Ukraine, affirms that he cut ties with the channel over a year ago.
Hundreds of protesters gathered on 29 October at an airport in Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s Republic of Dagestan, ahead of the arrival of a flight from Tel Aviv, seeking out Israeli nationals.
People entered “every room in the airport” while shouting anti-Semitic slogans. Videos posted on social media show airport employees trying to hide in offices. Later, some of the protesters ran onto the runway and tried to get to the plane that had come from Tel Aviv.
Some people in the crowd waved Palestinian flags and shouted "Allahu Akbar". Some demonstrators were stopping cars outside Makhachkala's airport demanding to see documents, in a chaotic search for Israeli passports.
Israel urged Russian authorities to protect Israelis and Jews in their jurisdiction: "Israel takes seriously attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews everywhere. Israel expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to protect the safety of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they may be and to act resolutely against the rioters and against the wild incitement".
Read a similar disinformation claim that Ukrainian special services instigated the events at the Makhachkala airport in Dagestan.