The United States has categorically dismissed the claims made by Russia that an anti-Israeli riot at a Dagestan airport was orchestrated by Ukraine and Western entities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in a televised meeting on Monday, asserted that the incident was part of an effort to spread “chaos” within Russia.

The riot occurred when hundreds of individuals stormed the Makhachkala airport in anticipation of a flight from the Israeli capital, Tel Aviv.

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Many among the crowd were seen waving Palestinian flags and expressing anti-Semitic sentiments.

Dagestan, a constituent republic of Russia, is predominantly inhabited by Muslims, and the riot is believed to have been triggered by anger over the conflict in Gaza.

Security forces eventually managed to regain control of the situation, resulting in the arrest of over 60 individuals, according to local authorities.

During the meeting of Russia’s Security Council, President Putin attributed the events in Makhachkala to social networks, particularly from Ukraine, and suggested the involvement of Western special services.

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He stated, “Who is organizing the deadly chaos and who benefits from it today, in my opinion, has already become obvious.

It is the current ruling elites of the US and their satellites who are the main beneficiaries of world instability.”

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov added that the situation was easily exploited by adversaries amid the grim events in the Gaza Strip, making it simpler to incite such incidents.

Governor Sergei Melikov of Dagestan claimed that the riots were incited “from the territory of Ukraine by traitors” using a Telegram channel named Morning Dagestan.

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This channel, with Islamist affiliations opposing Russian control of the region, has been associated with Ilya Ponomarev, a former Russian MP who defected to Ukraine in 2016.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the airport riot in response to Russia’s claims.

At a White House briefing, John Kirby, spokesperson for the US National Security Council, characterized Russia’s assertions as “classic Russian rhetoric” and stressed that the West had no involvement in the incident.

He described the event as an act of hate, bigotry, and intimidation.

The riot, widely circulated on social media, depicted a large crowd forcing its way through the airport, breaking doors, and spilling onto the runway.

Some individuals were observed halting vehicles outside to scrutinize passengers’ documents, seemingly in search of Israeli passports.

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According to Russia’s health ministry, 20 people, including police officers, sustained injuries, with two in critical condition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a statement expressing grave concern over attempts to harm Israeli citizens and Jews and called on Russian legal authorities to take decisive action against the rioters to ensure the well-being of Israeli citizens and Jews.