From toothpaste bomb warnings to ‘black widows,’ the run-up to the Sochi Olympics has been fraught with more security concerns than any other Games in recent memory.The 22nd Winter Games also have the largest security operation in Olympic history, with Russian authorities pledging that threats from its restive Caucasus region will not disrupt the world’s premier sporting event.
When the International Olympic Committee awarded the Games to Russia seven years ago, separatist groups in the Caucasus appeared to be under control and the committee was dazzled by President Vladimir Putin’s personal pledge for a safe and well-funded Winter Olympics. The event would be the first Winter Games the nation had hosted and a symbol of the new Russia.
Fast-forward to today, and threats against the Games by Islamic separatist groups from the Caucasus, two suicide bombings in Volgograd last month, and security warnings from the US Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have some athletes, parents, and fans feeling jittery. Russian officials counter that security concerns are overhyped – saying the most restive areas are at least 400 miles away – and will start to dissipate as competition begins.
Here’s a look at just what kind of security Russia has put in place, from “alpha” anti-terrorist squads to sonar equipment and drones.
When the International Olympic Committee awarded the Games to Russia seven years ago, separatist groups in the Caucasus appeared to be under control and the committee was dazzled by President Vladimir Putin’s personal pledge for a safe and well-funded Winter Olympics. The event would be the first Winter Games the nation had hosted and a symbol of the new Russia.
Fast-forward to today, and threats against the Games by Islamic separatist groups from the Caucasus, two suicide bombings in Volgograd last month, and security warnings from the US Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have some athletes, parents, and fans feeling jittery. Russian officials counter that security concerns are overhyped – saying the most restive areas are at least 400 miles away – and will start to dissipate as competition begins.
Here’s a look at just what kind of security Russia has put in place, from “alpha” anti-terrorist squads to sonar equipment and drones.
Source: News in Hindi
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