Dagestan courts have issued 28 verdicts for 135 defendants involved in the Makhachkala airport riots that occurred in October 2023. The defendants face charges ranging from participation in mass riots and violence against law enforcement to violating transport security requirements and inciting hatred. Sentences range from 6.5 to 15 years in a general regime penal colony.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation reports that the riots resulted in over 24 million rubles in damage to the airport and injuries to at least 23 security officers. The investigation identified Abakar Abakarov, Israil Akhmednabiev, and former State Duma deputy Ilya Ponomarev as the organizers of the riots. They are accused of inciting hatred towards Israeli citizens arriving in Makhachkala from Tel Aviv through posts on Telegram and raising funds for extremist activities. All three are currently wanted by authorities.

According to investigators, the defendants, driven by the online publications, intentionally acted as a group to engage in mass riots and violence. They are accused of resisting law enforcement and damaging airport property.

The investigation has gathered evidence implicating 142 individuals in the crimes. Preliminary investigations against 139 suspects have been completed, and 32 criminal cases have been sent to court. The court will consider a default conviction against alleged defendants.

Following the riots, 242 people were involved in administrative cases. Punishments included arrests, fines, and forced labor. Senator Konstantin Dolgov emphasized the need to strengthen security measures to prevent similar incidents, attributing the riots to Western attempts to destabilize Russia. President Vladimir Putin stated that the riots were provoked through social networks, potentially originating from Ukraine.