Sochi Olympics "unsafe for Americans" says Russia analyst
- 11 years ago
Preparations are underway at Russia's 2014 Winter Olympic stadium in Sochi.
The city is a few hundred kilometres from Russia's most restive North Caucasus provinces, which have always been considered a security risk.
There are now worries that the site in Russia's south could pose a security threat for the U.S. citizens following the Boston Marathon bombings, blamed on two men, whose family is from Chechnya - a largely Muslim North Caucasus region where Russian forces are fighting Islamic militants.
The organizers of the Games have refused to comment.
But an analyst from the Moscow Carnegie Centre Maria Lipman believes the threat is real.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CARNEGIE MOSCOW CENTRE EXPERT MARIA LIPMAN, SAYING:
"If there are groups seeking to deal a blow on the United States in Dagestan and Chechnya or anywhere, then of course it (Olympics) is unsafe for Americans. And, of course, it would be a disaster for Putin personally who cared so much about wi
The city is a few hundred kilometres from Russia's most restive North Caucasus provinces, which have always been considered a security risk.
There are now worries that the site in Russia's south could pose a security threat for the U.S. citizens following the Boston Marathon bombings, blamed on two men, whose family is from Chechnya - a largely Muslim North Caucasus region where Russian forces are fighting Islamic militants.
The organizers of the Games have refused to comment.
But an analyst from the Moscow Carnegie Centre Maria Lipman believes the threat is real.
(SOUNDBITE) (Russian) CARNEGIE MOSCOW CENTRE EXPERT MARIA LIPMAN, SAYING:
"If there are groups seeking to deal a blow on the United States in Dagestan and Chechnya or anywhere, then of course it (Olympics) is unsafe for Americans. And, of course, it would be a disaster for Putin personally who cared so much about wi