The unrest at the airport in the southwestern Russian city of Makhachkala was "organized" from the territory of Ukraine, Governor of Dagestan Sergei Melikov said on Monday.
"I believe that the initiators of this action are, of course, our enemies, of course, those who guided these events from the territory of Ukraine. But, unfortunately, we have to admit that support for the participants in the riots was probably provided by those for whom the socio-economic transformations in Dagestan are not beneficial <…> because they deprive them of the illegal earnings on which they created the conditions for themselves for many years," Melikov told reporters.
On Sunday, the airport, servicing the capital of the Muslim-majority Dagestan Republic, was shut after a crowd of protesters swarmed the tarmac. Videos circulated on social media showed dozens of people storming the ramp after a Red Wings passenger plane from Israel's Tel Aviv landed at the airport.
As a result of the unrest at the airport, more than 20 people received injuries, including law enforcement officers, the regional department of the Russian Health Ministry said.
Putin Receiving All Reports on Situation in Russia's Dagestan
Russian President Vladimir Putin is receiving reports on the situation in Dagestan from the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Russian Guard and the Governor Sergey Melikov, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday.
"Last night and this morning, Putin received and is receiving detailed reports on the situation in the Republic of Dagestan from the FSB, Russian Guard, the head of the republic Sergey Melikov," Peskov told a briefing.
Events at Makhachkala airport are a result of outside interference, the spokesman confirmed.
"It is well known and obvious that yesterday's event at Makhachkala airport are largely a result of outside interference, including outside information influence," Peskov said.