The Dagestan Airport Riot: Unrest, Antisemitism, and Russia's Response

Hundreds of men stormed an airport in Dagestan, Russia, chanting antisemitic slogans and looking for Israelis arriving on a flight from Tel Aviv. The violent incident, labeled as a "pogrom," occurred in the North Caucasus region, where anger over the conflict in Gaza is running high. While the Russian government denies organized antisemitism, experts warn that a flood of misinformation and emotionally charged online content around the Gaza conflict has made positions more extreme. The unrest in the region is a concern for President Putin, who is keen to ensure peace ahead of elections next year. There are rising concerns about antisemitism in Russia, with experts suggesting that Moscow is driving up intolerance towards Jewish people and other minorities amid efforts to boost nationalism and deflect attention from the economic fallout of the Ukraine invasion.