Pressure builds on Russia as Olympics near
The Winter Olympics will open in Sochi on February 7, but several world leaders will not be present.
Published On 3 Jan 2014
Tens of thousands of people will gather in the Russian town of Sochi next month for the Winter Olympics.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will make the games the safest they have ever been, but after two suicide bombings in Volgograd last weekend, security concerns are dominating preparations.
Putin has pumped $50bn into the games, with brand new facilities at Sochi.
But US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron have said they will not make appearances at the Winter Olympics.
Al Jazeera’s Peter Sharp reports from Moscow.
Source: Al Jazeera