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Politics

Russia: Dispossessed for the Russian Dream

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January 8, 2014

Sochi used to be a modest resort city on the Black Sea coast. But in preparation for the Winter Olympics the entire region has undergone a radical transformation. People who once lived on the sites of the sporting venues or in the 'security zones' have been forced to move away.

In 2007 Sochi won the right to host the 22nd Winter Olympics. After that, construction companies descended on the city of 400-thousand people. As much as 50 billion euros is being spent on sports facilities, roads, railway lines and bridges. Vancouver put on the 2010 games for just a tenth of that sum. But Russian president Vladimir Putin wants to present his vision of the perfect Olympics -- whatever the cost.

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