Russia Detains Top Police Official After Riots

Russian authorities have detained Rufat Ismailov, Dagestan's deputy minister of internal affairs, Russian state media reported on Tuesday.

Ismailov's home and workplace are being searched by the FSB, Russia's Federal Security Service, TASS and RIA Novosti reported on Tuesday, citing sources in law enforcement. Ismailov is suspected of bribery, according to RIA Novosti.

Ismailov has held the position of Dagestan's deputy minister of internal affairs since December 2019.

The local Telegram channel "Ask Rasul" wrote that searches are also being carried out at the workplace of Dalgat Abdulgapurov, the deputy head of the internal affairs' investigative department.

Newsweek has contacted Russia's Foreign Ministry via email for comment.

The reason behind Ismailov's detention isn't clear, but it comes in the aftermath of the antisemitic riots that erupted in Russia's predominantly Muslim republic of Dagestan on October 29, which involved hundreds storming the region's main airport, carrying Palestinian flags and reportedly hunting for Israeli passengers from a flight that had landed from Tel Aviv.

Rioters were filmed stopping and questioning passengers. One video shared on social media showed the moment an angry mob ambushed a man at the airport, reportedly mistaking him for an Israeli citizen.

Some 201 people were detained for participating in the riots. The Baza Telegram channel, which has ties to Russia's security services, reported that about 1,500 people took part.

The riots came amid an intense conflict between Israeli forces and the Hamas militant group in Gaza. On October 7, Hamas led the deadliest Palestinian militant attack on Israel in history, with Israel subsequently launching its heaviest-ever air strikes on Gaza. About 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, the Associated Press reported. More than 10,000 Palestinians in Gaza have died, the AP said on Tuesday, citing the Gaza Health Ministry.

The Kremlin said on October 30, without offering evidence, that the riots were "largely the result of external interference."

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Ukrainian agents of Western spy agencies were behind the incident, a charge U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby deflected as "classic Russian rhetoric."

"The West had nothing to do with this," Kirby added.

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Update 11/7/23, 8:10 a.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.

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