KYIV, Oct 30 — A senior Ukrainian official said today that Kyiv had nothing to do with anti-Israel unrest in Russia’s predominantly Muslim Dagestan region, rejecting an accusation by Russia to that effect as groundless.

"Of course, Ukraine has nothing to do with the latest large-scale surge of xenophobic sentiments on the territory of the Russian Federation,” Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak told Reuters in a written statement.

Earlier today, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the storming of Makhachkala airport yesterday was the result of a "provocation” orchestrated from outside Russia, with Ukraine playing a "direct and key role”. — Reuters