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Can Russia Protect Winter Olympians from Terrorists?

By: Derek // News Briefs

The second bombing in two days has given officials cause for concern about 2014 Winter Olympics host country Russia’s ability to provide security for the upcoming games in Sochi. Monday’s bombing aboard a bus in the city of Volgograd killed 14 people. Russian authorities believe the recent attack was more work of the same terrorist group that exploded a bomb on Sunday. Total deaths between the two attacks stands at 31.

While Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone to great lengths to ensure that the Olympic facilities in Sochi are safe, it has been more difficult to provide the same security for outlying areas. Wary of bad press, Putin is pulling out all the stops to locate those responsible for the attacks, tabbing the head of the Federal Security Service, Alexander Bortnikov, to oversee the Volgograd investigation.

So far, the attacks have centered on Volgograd’s extensive bus and train network. The city is 400 miles southeast of the Olympic site. An enhanced security zone extends around Sochi for 60 miles, but ends well short of the boundaries of cities like Volgograd. The Winter Olympics are set to open on February 7, 2014. (Derek Dowell – VNN) (Image: Flickr | waferboard)