One of the picket signs on October 26, 2006 at the MERT building in defense of the unique natural environs of the Caucuses

Russian Federation — On October 31 the Application Committee of the Winter Games in Sochi 2014 appealed to Russian Deputy Prime Minister A. D. Zhukov with a request to investigate the current situation regarding wide-spread public interest in the future locations of Olympic sites around Sochi, which were opened to development especially for the Games.

The committee asked that all possible measures be taken and that “assistance be provided in the introduction of competition structures,” so as to leave areas already protected against construction untouched.  Already on November 3 Mr. Zhukov distributed this new policy to the appropriate ministries and departments – the MID, MVD, FSB, and so on, with a request that they present their proposals.