Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Russia has put its security forces in Sochi on combat alert with exactly one month before
the start of the Winter Olympics. Two recent suicide bomb attacks in the nearby
city of Volgograd has put the country on edge and Russian President Vladimir Putin wants
to ensure the Games run without incident. The clearest threat comes from Islamist groups,
particularly Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov who has publicly called on militants to use
"maximum force" to prevent the Games going ahead.
As part of the tight security, cars without local license plates or special permits are
not allowed to enter the city or go near Olympic facilities and visitors must register with
local authorities within three days or they risk being thrown out.
More than 30-thousand police and soldiers are also on the ground to help the other 7-thousand
security personnel secure the area.