Status: 31.10.2023, 17:36 PM
By: Patrick Mayer
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In the Russian republic of Dagestan, an anti-Semitic mob caused a stir. © IMAGO/Ramazan Rashidov
In the Russian republic of Dagestan, a suspected anti-Semitic mob is causing a stir. This is not the only reason why the region in the North Caucasus is a huge problem for Moscow autocrat Vladimir Putin.
Makhachkala – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was quick to link the alleged anti-Semitic incidents at Makhachkala airport in Dagestan to the Ukraine war, which the regime in Moscow continues with immense losses, while the next riots occurred within the Russian Federation.
Anti-Israel mob in Dagestan: Is Russia losing control?
Russia has mobilized all its forces to hold occupied Ukrainian territories in its war of aggression, which has been going on for more than 20 months, Zelenskyy said in his evening video address on Monday (30 October): "But in doing so, they have contaminated their own territory with such a level of hatred and humiliation that Russia is losing control of events for the second time this year." It was a reference to the failed uprising of the Wagner mercenaries in June.
In the predominantly Muslim North Caucasus, unprecedented anti-Jewish excesses occurred on Sunday evening when a plane from Israel landed in Makhachkala. An angry crowd stormed the airport and threw stones at passengers, there were riots with security forces, 20 people were probably injured. The attack, however, is only the latest example of why the Russian republic of Dagestan represents a political powder keg for Kremlin ruler Vladimir Putin.
Dagestan in Russia: Riots at Makhachkala airport
As reported by the independent opposition Russian online newspaper The Moscow Times, anti-Jewish threats are not uncommon in Dagestan, which has a population of around 2.9 million. In 2007, for example, windows of synagogues were smashed with bricks, and Jewish graves were desecrated at that time. The Jewish community in Dagestan has shrunk considerably from 30,000 people after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 to today. Probably to a few thousand.
The report quotes a Russian rabbi named Ovadya Isakov. He is said to have told that the remaining Jews did not feel safe in the Russian republic. But they wouldn't know where to go. He cited the example of the southern town of Derbent, where he estimated there were 300 to 400 Jewish families. In the rest of Dagestan, it is estimated that there are just as many, the rabbi said. The North Caucasian republic, which borders Chechnya, is otherwise strongly Muslim. Up to 94 percent of the inhabitants are said to be Muslims. The anger of Muslim societies after Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip after the Hamas attack has now also been unleashed here, on the southern edge of the Russian Federation.
As The Moscow Times writes, during the riots at the airport, 15 Israelis had to be evacuated by military helicopter and brought to safety. The information cannot be independently verified. On photos, however, a military helicopter can be seen standing on the tarmac near the landed passenger plane. Makhachkala supposedly served as a stopover for Israeli travelers to Moscow.
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Dagestan in the North Caucasus: a constant source of unrest in Russia
"The latest escalation will be the last straw that breaks the camel's back – the few remaining Jews are thinking about leaving the country, potentially ending their centuries-long presence in the region," writes The Moscow Times. Regardless, Dagestan will remain a source of unrest for the Kremlin.
For more than 25 years, there have been repeated terrorist attacks against members of the government and other representatives of the state. It is only with great difficulty that Moscow manages to maintain state authority. According to the dpa news agency, for example, in 2012 the Kremlin felt compelled to send 30,000 Russian soldiers to regain control of the region, including the city of Makhachkala (around 600,000 inhabitants). Previously, the bloodshed was enormous.
According to the Russian newspaper Kommersant, an influential mufti and opponent of the radical Islamists was murdered in a car bomb attack in August 1998. In 2003 and 2009, ministers appointed by Moscow fell victim to assassination attempts. In 2010, there were reportedly numerous terrorist attacks and kidnappings. And the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which violates international law, has probably also caused new unrest in the region.
Dagestan in Russia: Several fallen soldiers in the Ukraine war
According to research by the organization "Mediazona", once founded by Pussy Riot activists, many of the fallen Russian soldiers come from the region, where the average monthly wage is around 200 euros and a contract as a temporary soldier brings a comparatively large amount of money. In its research, the organization combs through openly accessible sources such as local newspapers or obituaries on the Internet. As of October 19, 2023, 723 deaths of military personnel from Dagestan have been verified, according to the organization, with "Mediazona" pointing out that the number of unreported casualties and wounded is likely to be much higher. (pm)
