Bombings Hit Russia Ahead of Olympics

Two bombings have rocked the southern Russian city of Volgograd in as many days, just weeks ahead of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Sunday’s attack on the central train station and today’s attack on a trolley bus claimed the lives of over 30 people and injured dozens more.

Formerly known as Stalingrad, the city is a main artery to the site of the Olympics, raising serious concerns about security for the tens of thousands traveling to the winter games. Fear of additional attacks ahead of the Olympics have effectively halted public transportation in Volgograd, as citizens yanked their children out of schools and opted to take taxis instead of buses or trains.

According to Russian sources, the train station attack yesterday was carried out by Oksana Aslanova, a Dagestan native in her mid-twenties previously married to an Islamic militant killed by Russian security services. Aslanova set off her device by the security checkpoint at the entrance of the station, causing 17 fatalities. Today’s trolley attack was also believed to be carried out by a suicide bomber.

While a connection has not yet been firmly established, the Chechen conflict continues to dog Russia. In July, Doku Umarov, leader of the Chechen terrorist group Caucasus Emirate (CE), proclaimed that his group would unleash “maximum force” to disrupt the upcoming Olympic Games. Kavkaz Center, the media hub for the terrorist group, has not claimed responsibility for either attack but has been actively covering the events.

Among the Islamist movement’s latest grievances is Russia’s continued support for the regime in Damascus. A steady stream of insurgents – by some estimates 400 fighters – is flowing from the Caucasus to the conflict in Syria. Some, like Chechen Omar Shishani, have sworn allegiance to the head of al Qaeda affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham (ISIS). Shishani, who only joined after asking for Umarov’s blessing, was appointed the commander of the northern sector in Syria for ISIS.

Moscow is anticipating a battle with these elements. A unit of Russian security forces is now training to fight those insurgents when they return. But preparing for a long-term battle may be easier for President Vladimir Putin than preventing attacks aimed at marring the Olympic Games at a pinnacle moment in his rule of the Russian Federation.  

Boris Zilberman is deputy director of congressional relations at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.