Increased Anxiety Over Olympic Security

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In The Media

Increased Anxiety Over Olympic Security

In advance of the Sochi Winter Olympics, mounting security threats are worrying guests and athletes alike.

By Andrew S. Weiss

Published on Jan 23, 2014

Source: MSNBC

Speaking with MSNBC’s Andrew Mitchell, Carnegie’s Andrew Weiss discussed Russian security preparations for the Sochi Olympics. He explained that the Kremlin has spared no expense in creating an intrusive “ring of steel” around Sochi, but this may leave Moscow and other Russian cities vulnerable to an attack. The typical modus operandi of terrorist groups in the region makes them more likely to plan an attack on a soft target, likely outside Sochi, said Weiss. He added that “this is Russia’s show and that that’s why U.S. officials, when you speak to them privately, are still pretty worried.” The U.S. presence in Sochi is very small, primarily a liaison function, so evacuating people and dealing with an attack or the aftermath of a crisis would fall to the Russians.

This interview originally aired on MSNBC.

About the Author

Andrew S. Weiss

James Family Chair, Vice President for Studies

Andrew S. Weiss is the James Family Chair and vice president for studies at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where he oversees research on Russia, Ukraine, and Eurasia. His graphic novel biography of Vladimir Putin, Accidental Czar: the Life and Lies of Vladimir Putin, was published by First Second/Macmillan in 2022.

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Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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