He also compared the US to a “spider” that is at “the root of evil.”
Putin said, according to the Russian state news agency TASS: “We need to know and understand where the root of evil is, where this very spider, who is trying to envelop the whole planet, the whole world with his web and wants to achieve our strategic defeat on the battlefield, uses the people he has fooled for decades on the territory of today’s Ukraine.”
The Russian president also reportedly blamed the US for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, claiming the country and its allies were “the main beneficiaries of instability” in the region.
He added: “Those behind the conflict in the Middle East and other regional crises will use their destructive consequences to sow hatred, pitting people against each other around the world.
“This is the true selfish goal of such geopolitical puppet masters.”
A US State Department spokesperson told Newsweek the country condemns the “violent antisemitic events” in Russia and appealed to authorities there to “publicly condemn these violent protests and ensure the safety of Israelis and Jews in Russia.”
Putin’s astonishing rant came hours after Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed it was “well known and obvious” the airport riot was “largely the result of external interference.”
White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby mocked the claims from Peskov, telling a press conference: “It’s classic Russian rhetoric, isn’t it? When something goes bad in your country, just blame somebody else, blame it on outside influences.
“The West had nothing to do with this. This is just hate, bigotry and intimidation—pure and simple.”
More than 1,500 people, including over 150 active riot participants, took part in the riot at Makhachkala airport on Sunday night, according to the Russian security services-linked Baza Telegram channel.
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement he “expects the Russian law enforcement authorities to protect the safety of all Israeli citizens and Jews wherever they may be and to act resolutely against the rioters and against the wild incitement directed against Jews and Israelis”.
