Commentary
Thomas de Waal
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Source: Getty
In The Media
Sochi’s Security Threat
The Sochi Olympics may actually be one of the safest places in Russia, but terrorists could still affect the Olympics by carrying out an attack elsewhere.
Published on Jan 22, 2014
Source: WBEZ
Speaking on WBEZ's Worldview, Carnegie's Tom de Waal stated that the Winter Olympics in Sochi may actually be one of the safest places in Russia due to the extensive security measures. The bigger problem is that terrorists can affect the Olympic Games by carrying out an attack near Sochi or even in another city, he said. He suggested that the threat of so-called "black widows," female suicide bombers, might be exagerated due to a Russian paranoia about this issue. He also cast doubt on the role of the Caucasus Emirate as an organization, suggesting that it would better to view the North Caucasus insurgency as many small groups of individuals.
About the Author
Thomas de Waal
Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe
De Waal is a senior fellow at Carnegie Europe, specializing in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
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