Sochi, host of the 2014 Winter Games, is all about Russian President Vladi­mir Putin — a place to host foreign envoys and indulge in some Putin-style diversions. Sochi, in many ways, offers a distilled image of the country he wants Russia to be. Multibillion-dollar construction projects by Putin’s friends and oligarchs have created some of Russia’s best — and most expensive — infrastructure. Russian President Vladimir Putin, foreground, and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, left, walk out to play a hockey match at the Bolshoi Arena in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. Frey’s prominence feels symbolic for Sochi, where even more than elsewhere, much depends on the personal influence of the Russian president.

Source: Washington Post June 01, 2019 09:56 UTC