Crime & Safety

State Department Issues Travel Alert for Sochi Olympics

Americans traveling to the Games this year should be vigilant of their surroundings, officials said.

The State Department issued a travel alert for Americans planning to attend the Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia, according to The Boston Globe

The department said it was not aware of specific threats to U.S. interests in relation to the Olympics, but said such large events can be an attractive target for terrorists, and that Americans should be vigilant of their surroundings, the Globe reported. 

Russia has vowed to take precautions to protect athletes, spectators and infrastructure, according to the report, and the alert stated that FBI Director James Comey said the Russians are devoting substantial resources to securing the Olympics. 

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State Department officials said Americans should consider buying private medical evacuation insurance if they attend the Olympics, as medical facilities are ‘‘untested’’ in Sochi, which has never before hosted such a large event, according to the Globe report.


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