Protecting the Olympic Games in Sochi - a most difficult mission for the Russian security services

Today I just want to share with you my very real fears about either a terrorist attack or an "accident" of some kind in Sochi.  What frightens me is that the list of potential "sponsors" for such an event is very long: the Saudis, of course, and their overt threats, but also the Anglosphere and it's covert subcontractors of al-Qaeda and its affiliates worldwide.  Less likely, but still possible, is some kind of attack by the Ukrainian extremists (they fought Russia in Chechnia, Georgia and even in Syria).  But the main threat, I think, comes from the Anglosphere whose media has been constantly hammering in the message that "Putin put his reputation at stake in the Olympics" or that "Russia is trying to market itself as an attractive country to invest in" during the Games.  Both of these claims are vastly overblown, by the way.  Sure, like any other head of state Putin put a lot of effort into preparing for these Games and, of course, Russia hopes for a great success.  But nobody in Russia seriously considers these games as some kind of litmus test of national prestige.  And yet, the Anglo corporate media constantly repeat this message, over and over again.  It makes me wonder whether it is in preparation to some kind of failure which would then finally give the West a chance to delight in a tragedy for which it would, of course, blame the Kremlin.

Do you think I exaggerate?

Hardly.

Just remember the gleeful display of Schadenfreude of the Anglo media any tragedy happens in Russia, especially one which could be blamed on the Kremlin.  From the various hostage crises (Buddennovsk, Nord-Ost, Beslan), to the (still unexplained) sinking of the Kursk, to the 08.08.08 war with Georgia - each time the Anglo corporate media openly rejoiced to see the "Russian bear" being wounded.  So considering the numerous humiliations suffered by the Anglosphere in recent years at the hand of the much-hated Putin, I am really afraid that something will happen in Sochi.

Russian cops - here mostly to reassure the visitors

The good news is that the current Russian government is probably as good as it gets in its ability to prevent a terrorist attack or an "accident" and the Russian security services have recovered much, possible most, of their traditional capabilities.  The local security services have put up a big "display of security", which is fine, but which really will play only a minor role in protecting the Games.  Most of the real security work will have to be done behind the scenes with a combination of detection, monitoring, penetration, negotiations and threats (depending on the nature of the potential enemy).  We will probably never hear about these efforts, but they are crucial.  There are always many more targets than forces to protect them and a determined terrorist is practically unstoppable.

Officially, the West is fully supportive of Russia and the US offered its full "expertise" to "assist" Russia.  They even warned about possible toothpaste-bombs.  Being the diplomat that he is, Putin warmly thanked the Americans for their valuable assistance and invited western security officials to join the special security headquarters created for these games by the Russian security services.  So officially, its all smiles and support.

I think that we all know what the real story is.

I will breathe better once these Games are over.

The Saker

Ugly storm clouds are gathering over the Ukraine and Russia

Yesterday some very serious riots took place in Kiev.  The Yanukovich government has passed a new law which attempts to restrict the kind of rioting the Ukraine has seen in the past months, and the response of the rioters was a full scale assault on the riot police.  What I find the most appalling is that the government is ordering the riot cops to just stand there and hold their position, but not to fight back.  That, of course, only serves to heighten the already strong sense of impunity of the rioters who now attack the cops with Molotov cocktails, large rocks, metal bars, teargas, knives and fire extinguishers.  Numerous cops were hospitalized yesterday after begin attacked by the rioters.  Still, the cops are under strict orders not to fight back while the US is demanding that the riot police be removed from the streets.  And in the meantime, what does the Yanukovich government say?  They are offering to negotiate with the opposition.

With every passing day, Yanukovich reminds me more and more of Alexander Kerensky, and I am afraid that, just like Kerensky, Yanukovich will end up running for his life while thugs and terrorists seize power.

To get a feel for what took place on Sunday, please check out this Russian TV report (in Russian, but the images speak for themselves):



In the meantime, the website Vilayat Dagestan, which is linked to the so-called Ansar al-Sunna terrorist organization has published a video featuring footage of the two men who committed the recent suicide attacks in Volgograd.  Entitled "Appeal of  Suleiman and Abdurakhman before the martyrdom operation in Volgograd" the video shows how they built their bombs and it includes a threat directly made to Vladimir Putin who is told that Ansar al-Sunna is preparing a "surprise" for him and for the Olympic tourists to avenge the blood of Muslims which is shed worldwide.  The video is 45min long and in Russian, but if you want to check it out for yourself, here it is:




Now, the two guys on the video are dead, as are many, possibly most or even all, of their accomplices which were located and killed by Russian special forces.   Still, the threat, I think, is real and should be taken very seriously.

There is more than just threats made by all sorts of Wahabi crazies.  There seems to be a concerted propaganda campaign by the Western corporate media to convince the general public that these Olympic games have some kind of special meaning for Putin who, as the BBC put it recently, "has staked his reputation on this event".  I have no idea where they got this notion, but it is most definitely not based on anything factual, if only because "staking his reputation" on a sports event is not at all the kind of stuff Putin would do.  Yet the Western propaganda machine is in full swing telling us that these upcoming games are somehow a crucial test for Putin.  This tells me that the western special services are, again, up to no good and that for all the US promises to work with the Russians for the security of this event, the reality is that somebody somewhere is preparing a big attack on these games.

The Russian author and dramatist Anton Chekhov used to say that if you put a gun on stage in the first act of a play, it should be fired in the second act.  Well, the gun is clearly hanging on the wall and the first act is about to begin.  Whether it will be fired in the second act is now in God's hands.

The Saker