Jewish graves in Dagestan destroyed; authorities say it was an accident
Makhachkala official says tombstones damaged after driver lost control, motorist reportedly pledges to fix damage
Jewish graves in the Republic of Dagestan in Russia were found destroyed, the Kan public broadcaster reported Saturday.
Images of the damaged tombstones in the multinational cemetery in the city of Makhachkala were initially posted on Telegram, Kan reported.
City officials confirmed the damage to the Kremlin-linked RIA Novosti newspaper, but said the damage was the result of an accident.
No antisemitic motives were mentioned.
“The vehicle had a flat tire. It swerved off the lane and hit the graves,” a local official said, according to Kan. “The driver did not flee and promised to repair the damage.”
דיווחים ברוסיה: החלקה היהודית בבית העלמין "הרב לאומי" בבירת חבל דגסטן מחצ'קלה חוללה וחלק מהקברים נופצו • גורם בעירייה טען: "לרכב היה תקר בגלגל, הוא סטה מהנתיב ופגע בקברים"@AlexNirenburg pic.twitter.com/13HRgJT86H
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) July 20, 2024
Last month, terrorists killed 22 people in Derbent and Makhachkala, along the way burning down a synagogue.
In October, an antisemitic riot at an airport in Dagestan hunted for Jews after hearing that a plane from Tel Aviv had landed.
