Siberia joins national effort to make the Sochi Olympics safe and successful

Siberian Regional Command troops were sent to a military town near Krasnaya Polyana, the mountain resort where the downhill ski-ing competitions will take place next month. The move comes amid high security following the two terrorist bombings in Volgograd widely seen as the work of Islamic extremists. 

The Siberian troops are due to start their Olympic security duties next week and are already in place in Sochi.

'It involves primarily protection of and prevention of unauthorised access to sports facilities, residential areas, thoroughfares and bridges,' Siberian Regional Commander Viktor Strigunov told reporters, as cited by Interfax. 'Part of the forces and vehicles will be protecting public order along with the police.'

The troops are all on service contracts and the group does not include conscripts. 

The Russian Interior Ministry's Internal Troops is reported to have  a 10,000-strong force to provide security at Sochi Olympics.