The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Russia has announced plans to detain all participants in the disturbances that occurred at Makhachkala airport. The notice appeared on the Telegram channel of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the North Caucasus Federal District. According to the statement, police will detain every person involved in the riots and bring them to justice under the provisions of Article 20.2 of the Russian Code on Administrative Offenses, which covers violations of the established rules for organizing or holding meetings, rallies, demonstrations, processions, or strikes. The ministry stressed that noncompliance with police orders could lead to penalties under Article 19.3 of the same code, including fines or administrative detention for up to 15 days. This warning underscores the authorities’ intention to enforce public order during the incident. The North Caucasus law enforcement leadership emphasized that the matter is being handled strictly within the existing legal framework.
Under Article 20.2, authorities indicated that those found to have participated in the unrest could face fines ranging from ten thousand to twenty thousand rubles. The ministry noted that the airport area is equipped with a camera security system, and as a result, the identities of all rioters will be established through footage and other recorded material. The message also conveyed that individuals who instigated the protests risk prosecution for provoking ethnic hatred, as defined by law. The tone of the announcement reflects a clear intention to identify and process anyone involved in the disruption.
Witnesses at the scene reported a sizeable crowd taking part in the disorder, with participants arriving in the vicinity of the airport on the evening of October 29 and declaring an aim to confront or confront antisemitic rhetoric openly. The ensemble of rioters was described as numbering in the several hundreds. Authorities had previously reinforced security at Makhachkala airport, though they did not halt the routine check of documents for arriving passengers. The authorities also indicated that refugees from Israel would face restrictions on entry to the republic in response to ongoing regional conflicts.
On October 28, a rally in Karachay-Cchernkessia protested against the arrival of refugees from Israel to the North Caucasus. Local participants included several dozen residents who were detained for violating procedures governing demonstrations. Earlier, remarks from Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of Chechnya, indicated that mass Tahajjud prayers were being held in the republic’s mosques in solidarity with Palestine. He stated that Muslims were praying for relief for the Palestinian people from oppression.
Compounding the tense atmosphere, early reports from Dagestan described a confrontation that included the removal of documents from a person believed to be Israeli. The overall sequence of events highlights a period of heightened security concerns and rapid government response, with authorities reaffirming their commitment to enforcing legal norms and maintaining public order in the North Caucasus region.