As the 2014 Winter Olympics is only a month away, Russian officials are searching far and wide for an alleged terrorist threat, according to a local website.
Authorities have distributed a photograph and details about the alleged suspect, a woman identified as Ruzana Ibragimova. The 22-year-old woman, who also goes by the name Salima, is believed to be working for a militant group from the Caucasus area.
The media has been quick to paint Ibragimova as a "black widow," an infamous type of terrorist stemming form Russian engagements with Chechen separatists. These terrorists, who usually have survived their spouses in conflict, have also been associated with the recent suicide bombings in Moscow during 2010.
The report comes only two months after the bombings in Volgograd, approximately 400 miles northeast of Sochi, which killed 34 people and injured dozens. In a television interview on Sunday, Russian President Vladmir Putin attested to the security of the region.
"We do everything... with a clear understanding of the operational situation developing around Sochi and in the region as a whole," Putin said. Putin referred to both the G8 and G20 summits as examples of his ability to keep international events secure.
Olympic athletes around the globe have responded to Russia's efforts to increase security with a generally positive outlook. However, French snowboarder Xavier de la Rue does have his concerns.
"It's in a crazy war zone in a way," de la Rue said. "It's in the middle of all these countries that want to kill Russia, so it's just scary cause I know that we're going to be a target in a way."
Safety may well be a main focus of the Olympic games, with close to 40,000 police officers and security agents being deployed in addition to Russian troops. However, Putin argues that this won't be the case.
"[The increased security] will be organized in such a way that they don't catch the eye... and so to say, don't depress the participants in the Olympic Games."
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