Russia getting ready for Sochi Olympics

The Russian President’s envoy in the North Caucasus Federal District Alexander Khlopinin stated recently that the Caucasus topic should by all means be visible during the Olympic Games. He says that a Caucasus Cultural Centre will be created for promoting Caucasian topics there.

Some forces outside Russia might try to undermine the Olympic Games, it is believed, and Russia wants to ensure they are held in a proper way. However the Games are still arousing controversy. Head of the Kabardo-Balkaria Research Centre Peter Ivanov believes it is a strategic error for big financial resources to be put into Sochi when it might have been more appropriate to invest this money in the Mt. Elbrus area, preferable from the sports point of view. Khlopinin has presented arguments for protecting the selected site at Sochi but there are still many uncertain factors and Russia's wider Caucasus problems could still dent its ambitions.