by Roger McKenzie

RUSSIAN authorities claimed today that the disturbance at an airport in the Republic of Dagestan late on Sunday was incited by forces from outside Russia.

Hundreds of local people gathered outside Makhachkala Airport in the Muslim-majority republic on Sunday in what authorities have labelled an “unauthorised gathering.”

The disturbance, which is being widely reported as anti-semitic, was sparked by news circulating on the internet that a flight from Tel Aviv was carrying “Jewish refugees.”

After scuffles with airport security staff,  the protesters forced their way into the airport and streamed onto the runway.

Footage on social media showed protesters swarming the tarmac around the Red Wings passenger plane after it had landed. 

Authorities said that police quickly regained control of the situation but more than 20 people were injured. 

There are no reports of any arrests.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the disturbances “are a result of a well-planned provocation carried out from outside with the aim of undermining the harmonious development and ethnic and religious unity of the people of the Russian Federation.”

She said that the “criminal regime in Kiev” had a key and direct role in the implementation of this destructive act.

Ms Zakharova said: “The Kiev regime is currently highly motivated to destabilise the situation in Russia and tarnish its reputation on the international stage, as the world’s attention to the crisis in Ukraine is waning.”

Russia’s chief rabbi Berl Lazar called on local communities to resist attempts to sow discord among the peoples of Russia.

Supreme Mufti of Dagestan Sheikh Akhmad Afandi called on residents to stop the unrest at the airport.

“You are mistaken. This issue cannot be resolved in this way. We will solve this issue differently.”

The Russian Interior Ministry says that it has launched a criminal investigation into the incident to ensure anyone involved will be brought to justice including for inciting “riots and ethnic hatred.”