White House Criticizes Putin for 'Silence on Anti-Israeli Protests' in Russia

John Kirby, the National Security Council's Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the White House, criticized Vladimir Putin, the President of Russia, on Monday for his silence regarding protests that occurred at the airport in Dagestan, Russia, during the landing of a plane from Israel. According to The Hill, a crowd surged at the airport, apparently seeking Israeli passengers. In response, Russian police took control of the airport, and Putin held a meeting with security officials on Monday to discuss the incident. Kirby described the scene as a 'heartbreaking display of hatred, bigotry, and intimidation' and stated that by not condemning the protests, Putin sent the message that 'Russia supports violence against Israelis.' Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesperson, claimed that the incident was a 'result of foreign interference.' Kirby called this claim a 'traditional Russian narrative' and said that Putin 'does not take responsibility for this violence.' This incident is the latest example highlighting the significant global tensions and divides over the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. The United States, the European Union, and Japan have designated the Hamas militia, which is supported by the Islamic Republic, as a terrorist group.