Russian Jews Fear Israel-Hamas War Awakening Sleeping Antisemitism

GUARDIAN INTERNATIONAL: Dagestan riot and changing policy at Kremlin stir traumatic memories and prompt deep unease

People in Moscow attending a solidarity service on 15 October for the Israeli victims of the Hamas attacks. Photograph: Alexander Zemlianichenko/AP
For Vladimir Putin’s more than two-decade rule, he has promoted himself as a friend and protector of the Jewish community, and he launched an invasion last year with the ostensible goal to “denazify” Ukraine.

But the scenes of violence in Makhachkala, Dagestan, this week, as well as images of local people searching out Israeli passport holders in a hotel in the city of Khasavyurt, recalled darker moments in Russian history, when Cossacks rampaged through Jewish communities as local authorities looked on.

For some Russian Jewish leaders, the Kremlin’s recent geopolitical shift away from Israel – which has launched a ground invasion in Gaza – as well as nods toward antisemitism, played a direct role in last week’s events in Dagestan.

“By meeting Hamas last week and not condemning the massacres, the Kremlin might have given the green light to some elements in the Caucasus that the hunting season [against Jews] is on,” said Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, a former chief rabbi of Moscow, who left in 2022 after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

This week, Putin sought to show he was in control, convening his security council over the rioting and quickly shifting the blame for the attacks abroad. Others asked how a country with such top-down control could allow the riot to take place. » | Andrew Roth and Pjotr Sauer | Saturday, November 4, 2023

In a Worldwide War of Words, Russia, China and Iran Back Hamas

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Officials and researchers say the deluge of online propaganda and disinformation is larger than anything seen before.

A recently erected billboard in Tehran depicts Muslims walking toward the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem while carrying their national flags. | Atta Kenare/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is fast becoming a world war online.

Iran, Russia and, to a lesser degree, China have used state media and the world’s major social networking platforms to support Hamas and undercut Israel, while denigrating Israel’s principal ally, the United States.

Iran’s proxies in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq have also joined the fight online, along with extremist groups, like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, that were previously at odds with Hamas.

The deluge of online propaganda and disinformation is larger than anything seen before, according to government officials and independent researchers — a reflection of the world’s geopolitical division.

“It is being seen by millions, hundreds of millions of people around the world,” said Rafi Mendelsohn, vice president at Cyabra, a social media intelligence company in Tel Aviv, “and it’s impacting the war in a way that is probably just as effective as any other tactic on the ground.” Cyabra has documented at least 40,000 bots or inauthentic accounts online since Hamas attacked Israel from Gaza on Oct. 7.

The content — visceral, emotionally charged, politically slanted and often false — has stoked anger and even violence far beyond Gaza, raising fears that it could inflame a wider conflict. Iran, though it has denied any involvement in the attack by Hamas, has threatened as much, with its foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, warning of retaliation on “multiple fronts” if Israeli forces persisted in Gaza. » | Steven Lee Myers and Sheera Frenkel | Friday, November 3, 2023

Russia Blames West after Antisemitic Mob Storms Dagestan Airport | DW News

Oct 30, 2023 | Israel has called on Russia to protect its citizens and Jews in general after a mob stormed the main airport in Russia’s Dagestan region following the arrival of a plane from Israel. As many as 20 people were injured in the riot at the facility in the city of Makhachkala. At least 60 people were temporarily detained. The airport has now reopened.

Related article here.

Mob Storms Dagestan Airport in Search of Jewish Passengers from Israel

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Airport in Russia’s Muslim southern region closed after hundreds storm tarmac and climb on to planes

Rioters at the airport held signs reading, ‘We are against Jewish refugees’ and ‘Child killers have no place in Dagestan.’ Photograph: Twitter
GUARDIAN EUROPE: Airport in Russia’s Muslim southern region closed after hundreds storm tarmac and climb on to planes

A mob in Russia’s mostly Muslim region of Dagestan has stormed the airport in Makhachkala in search of Jewish passengers arriving from Israel.

In the past day, local people have besieged a hotel in search of Jewish guests and stormed the airport after reports emerged that a flight from Tel Aviv was arriving in the city. While no one appears to have been seriously injured or killed in the riots, passengers have been forced to take refuge in planes or hide in the airport for fear of being attacked. » | Andrew Roth | Sunday, October 29, 2023

Antijüdische Übergriffe im Nordkaukasus: Russland ist offiziell ein Land vieler Völker und Religionen. Doch die russischen Muslime halten zu den Palästinensern. In einer aufgeheizten Stimmung machen sie Jagd auf vermeintliche Juden. »

Daghestan : les images de l’aéroport pris d’assaut par une foule hostile à Israël : Plusieurs dizaines d’hommes ont pénétré, dimanche, sur le tarmac et dans le terminal de l’aéroport de Makhatchkala, capitale de cette république russe à majorité musulmane, à l’annonce de l’arrivée d’un avion en provenance d’Israël. »

Pro-Moscow Ukrainian Politician Shot in Apparent Assassination Attempt

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Oleg Tsaryov, who had been tipped to lead a puppet government after Russia’s 2022 invasion, is in a critical condition

Oleg Tsaryov is in intensive care after being shot by an unknown assailant, his associates have said. Photograph: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images
A Ukrainian politician once said to have been considered for leader of a Kremlin-controlled puppet government in Ukraine is in a critical condition after he was shot twice in an apparent assassination attempt at a sanatorium in Crimea.

Oleg Tsaryov, a pro-Kremlin Ukrainian figure who played a prominent political role in the 2014 war against the Kyiv government, was shot twice by an unknown assailant, his associates have confirmed.

“Oleg is fighting for his life. After the attempt on his life tonight, Oleg lost a lot of blood,” wrote Vladimir Rogov, a Russian-installed official in the Zaporizhzhia region of Ukraine, which is under Moscow’s partial control. » | Andrew Roth | Friday, October 27, 2023

Russia Raises Interest Rate to 15% after Steep Climb in Inflation

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Two-point rate rise surprises analysts as central bank blames 6.6% inflation on consumer demand

Russia’s central bank has increased interest rates by more than expected, to 15%, after a steep rise in inflation.

The bank blamed the war-torn economy’s limited capacity to respond to an increase in consumer demand for the rise in inflation to 6.6% in October, from 6% in the previous month.

Even with the increase in borrowing costs, inflation is expected to carry on climbing to 7.5% by the end of the year, the central bank said, before falling back to 4% next year. » | Phillip Inman | Friday, October 27, 2023

European Leaders Seethe over Putin-Orbán Meeting

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Czech president calls on western capitals not to fall for Russian leader’s tactic to break European unity

Viktor Orbán (left) and Vladimir Putin shake hands on Tuesday before their meeting as part of the Chinese belt and road forum in Beijing. Photograph: Grigory Sysoev/Sputnik/Kremlin/EPA
European leaders must not “fall” for the tactics of Vladimir Putin, the Czech president, Petr Pavel, has said, two days after Hungary’s prime minister shook hands with Russia’s leader.

Viktor Orbán, in a rare move for the leader of a country that belongs to the EU and Nato, met Putin in Beijing on Tuesday for what the Hungarian leader’s office described as a discussion on energy cooperation and peace.

Hungary has long been criticised for democratic backsliding at home and its Russia- and China-friendly policies abroad.

Its foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, routinely visits Moscow. And in a move that has frustrated its allies, Hungary – along with Turkey – has yet to ratify Sweden’s application for Nato membership. » | Lili Bayer in Brussels | Friday, Octoner 20, 2023

With Putin by His Side, Xi Outlines His Vision of a New World Order

THE NEW YORK TIMES: China’s close ties with Russia in countering American dominance point to a geopolitical rift that could shape the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The leaders of China and Russia hailed each other as “old” and “dear” friends. They took swipes at the United States and depicted themselves as building a “fairer, multipolar world.” And they marveled at their countries’ “deepening” trust.

China’s top leader, Xi Jinping, used a Beijing-led conference of leaders from mostly developing countries on Wednesday to showcase his ambitions to reshape the global order, as the world grapples with a war in Ukraine and a crisis in Gaza. He cast his country as an alternative to the leadership of the United States. And he gave a prominent role to President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, underscoring how central their relationship is to Mr. Xi’s vision.

The event, the Belt and Road Forum, is centered on China’s signature foreign policy initiative, which aims to expand Beijing’s influence abroad with infrastructure projects. Mr. Putin was treated as the guest of honor and often pictured by Mr. Xi’s side. The two leaders also met for three hours in Beijing on Wednesday.

While Mr. Putin and Mr. Xi huddled, President Biden landed in Israel on a visit aimed at preventing the war between Israel and Hamas from spreading. Though Mr. Xi did not publicly remark on the war, Mr. Putin, at a news briefing, blamed the United States for increasing tensions in the Middle East by sending warships to the region. He said that such regional conflicts were “shared threats that only strengthen Russo-Chinese relations.” (+ video) » | David Pierson, Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tiffany May | Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Xi Jinping Welcomes ‘Dear Friend’ Putin in Beijing

THE TELEGRAPH: The leaders have a shared vision for a new international order to counter the US and other democratic nations

Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping meet at the Belt and Road summit in Beijing | SERGEI SAVOSTYANOV/AFP
Vladimir Putin met with his “dear friend” Xi Jinping as the two smiling leaders shook hands and posed for photos in Beijing to underline their “no limits” friendship.

The Russian president, who is wanted for war crimes, met with the Chinese leader at the Belt and Road summit on Tuesday which is marking the 10-year anniversary of China’s flagship global infrastructure project.

Putin was joined at the conference by a Taliban minister and the Kazakh president along with representatives from 130 other countries.

The Russian president was keen to cast himself as a close ally of China, telling reporters ahead of the trip: “President Xi Jinping calls me his friend, and I call him my friend, too.” » | Nicola Smith, Asia Correspondent and James Crisp, Europe Correspondent | Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Zelensky Says Gaza War Furthers Russian Aims

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The Ukrainian president said Moscow was aiming to sow division in the region and the attack on Israel could distract allies from his country’s conflict.

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, left, and President Klaus Iohannis of Romania during an honor guard welcoming ceremony on Tuesday in Bucharest. | Daniel Mihailescu/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has accused Russia of wanting to precipitate conflict in the Middle East to undermine international support for Ukraine, in comments that reflect concern that the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas could distract attention from Kyiv’s fight.

In remarks released on social media on Monday night, Mr. Zelensky, who has repeatedly expressed support for Israel, also appeared to seek to rally support for his country at a time when Ukraine is facing stiff Russian resistance on the battlefield amid signs of wavering support among a few of its allies. » | Matthew Mpoke Bigg, Reporting from Kyiv | Tuesday, October 10, 2023

How Will China and Russia React? | DW News

Oct 8, 2023 | German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has condemned the assault on Israel and said there was a risk the conflict could spread.

Later on Sunday, the United Nations Security Council will meet in a special session to discuss the attacks by Islamist militant group Hamas.⁣

The Guardian View on Slovakia’s Election: An Ominous Signal from Central Europe

THE GUARDIAN – EDITORIAL: Victory for a Putin-friendly populist has given Viktor Orbán an ally and the rest of Europe a problem

Mr Fico’s triumph means an enlarged dissident core in central Europe.’ Photograph: Vladimír Šimíček/AFP/Getty Images
Elections in Slovakia, a country of 5.5 million people on the eurozone’s eastern flank, do not normally generate global headlines. But these are not normal times. Amid fears of growing cracks in western unity over Russia’s war in Ukraine, the victory over the weekend of a pro-Putin populist committed to ending military aid to Kyiv sent an ominous signal.

“Slovakia has bigger problems than Ukraine,” said Robert Fico, in the wake of a win that will have been a cause for satisfaction in the Kremlin. His Smer-SD party, which ran a campaign targeting irregular migrants, LGBTQ+ rights and support for Kyiv, will now seek to lead a coalition government. For Mr Fico, who has been the subject of corruption allegations, and was ousted as leader in 2018 in toxic circumstances, this was a remarkable comeback. For most of Europe, it is one with worrying implications on a number of levels. » | Editorial | Tuesday, October 3, 2023

Retired U.S. Lieutenant General Ben Hodges Says Russia Is an Existential Threat to US and Europe | #shorts

The retired general talks of the value Americans are getting for their tax dollars.

Russia's New Anti-LGBT Law Now Takes "Propaganda" Books Off Shelves | DW News

Feb 1, 2023 | It's been almost two months since Russian President Vladimir Putin signed into law a regulation that bans so-called LGBT-propaganda in Russia. It prohibits what it calls promotion of 'non-traditional values'. The change has already affected a wide range of books and films, with now-illegal material being removed. Critics say that this is just one more step in what the Russian government sees as a fight against Western values.

Unease in the West as Slovakia Appears Set to Join the Putin Sympathizers

THE NEW YORK TIMES: The front-runner in the parliamentary vote has pledged “not to send a single cartridge” to neighboring Ukraine, a sign of the flagging European support for a victim of Russian aggression.

Robert Fico, center, in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Sunday, has said he will “not send a single cartridge” of ammunition to Ukraine. | Martin Divisek/EPA, via Shutterstock
The victory of Robert Fico, a former prime minister who took a pro-Russian campaign stance, in Slovakia’s parliamentary elections is a further sign of eroding support for Ukraine in the West as the war drags on and the front line remains largely static.

Slovakia is a small country with historical Russian sympathies, and the nature of the coalition government Mr. Fico will seek to form is unclear. He may lean more toward pragmatism, as Italy’s far-right prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, has done since her election last year. Still, the shift in Slovakia is stark: It was the first country to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine.

The election results come as disquiet over the billions of dollars in military aid that the West has provided to Ukraine over the past 19 months has grown more acute in the United States and the European Union, with demands increasing for the money to go to domestic priorities instead. » | Roger Cohen, Reporting from Paris | Sunday, October 1, 2023

Vladimir Putin Praises Elon Musk as ‘Talented Businessman' | #shorts

Elon praised by Vladimir here.

Russia's Putin Signs Decree on Autumn Military Conscription

REUTERS: Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree setting out the routine autumn conscription campaign, calling up 130,000 citizens for statutory military service, a document posted on the government website showed on Friday.

All men in Russia are required to do a year-long military service between the ages of 18 and 27, or equivalent training while in higher education.

Putin's move comes as Russia's armed forces press on with their "special military operation" in Ukraine, now in its 20th month.

The president, who signed an order in March calling up 147,000 people for the spring campaign, said this month he was bracing for a long war in Ukraine. » | Reuters: Reporting by Maxim Rodionov | Editing by Gareth Jones | Friday, September 29, 2023

Decoding Putin and Xi's Blueprint for a New World Order | DW Analysis

Sep 29, 2023 | China and Russia are getting closer. Rather than distancing himself from Vladimir Putin over his war against Ukraine, Xi Jinping is doubling down on the relationship. And Putin is becoming more and more dependent on Xi as an economic, military and geopolitical lifeline. Why is this happening? What do Xi and Putin want to achieve? And what does their relationship mean for the rest of the world?

DW’s Richard Walker goes on a deep dive into the roots of the Moscow-Beijing relationship. Finding how the two sides are an economic “match made in heaven.” How China’s People Liberation Army wouldn’t be where it is today without military supplies from Russia when it was frozen out from other suppliers. And how the personal bond between Putin and Xi is feeding into a joint mission by the two men to reshape the world.

This relationship has potentially deep implications for every nation on earth. In part 3, we explore the impact in three areas currently underestimated by many: the prospect of joint China-Russia nuclear weapons planning, the impact on India of Russia becoming subordinate to China, and the implications for the endgame of the Ukraine war.

Featuring interviews with leading experts including Alexander Gabuev, Bonnie Glaser, Zhou Bo, Garima Mohan, Wang Huiyao and Decker Eveleth.

Oligarchs' 'Hatred' for Putin Grows as He Stops Caring about Ukraine Losses | Bill Browder

Sept 25, 2023 | "There's not enough soldiers on the front line and so Putin doesn't rotate them out. He doesn't care. 300,000 Russian men have died in this war." Only violence holds Putin in power as he becomes hated by his inner circle and callous about military failures in Ukraine, says Bill Browder on Times Radio's Frontline.

Inside Russia : How Russia Steals Ukrainians’ Citizenship | #shorts

Konstantin explains.