Russia Suicide Bombings Impact Regional Security, World Events

Another bombing in the Russian city of Volgograd has resulted in tightened security at railway stations, airports and other transportation centers across Russia, and the attacks are raising security concerns as February's winter Olympics in Sochi get closer.  Unrest from the North Caucasus is also spreading, and there is apprehension about more attacks as experts work to determine the links.

Experts from various Academic Centers at The Potomac Institute are available for comment on the situation.

Experts:

Prof. Yonah Alexander, PhD, Member, Board of Regents, Senior Fellow, and Director, International Center for Terrorism Studies
Professor Alexander previously served as Professor of International Affairs and Director of Terrorism Studies at the George Washington University as well as Professor of International Studies and Director of the Institute for Studies in International Terrorism at the State University of New York.  He has served as academic advisor to governments and international organizations (UN, NATO, OSCE, and the EU) and was consultant to various Olympic Games and to the International Academy of the Media in Moscow.  He is founder and editor-in-chief of five academic international journals:  Terrorism; Minorities and Group Rights; Political Communication and Persuasions; NATO's Partnership for Peace Review; and Terrorism: An Electronic Journal & Knowledge Base. He has published over 100 books including "Al-Qa'ida:  Ten Years after 9/11 and Beyond," and others on terrorism and the Russian connection.

Amb. David Smith, (Ret.), Member, Board of Regents and Senior Fellow
Ambassador David Smith joined the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies as a Senior Fellow in 2005. In 2012, he became Director of the Potomac Institute Cyber Center. Amb. Smith has in-depth expertise and experience in building stability and security in the South Caucasus region. Ambassador Smith is currently involved in a major project to assist the Republic of Georgia in reforming its national security institutions, and serves as Director of the Georgian Security Analysis Center in Tbilisi.  He also has had a distinguished career in defense and foreign affairs, is an expert on international security issues, and in recent years has focused on the emerging field of cybersecurity. His other areas of expertise include U.S. strategic missile defense, arms control, European security policy, and security relationships with China, Russia, and Korea.

Khatuna Mshvidobadze, PhD, Associate Academic Fellow
Ms. Khatuna Mshvidobadze, PhD, is an Associate Academic Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies. Ms. Mshvidobadze is affiliated with the Potomac Institute Cyber Center. She is also a Senior Associate at the Georgian Security Analysis Center, Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies, Tbilisi, Georgia.  In 2009, she was an Advisor to the Office of the Minister of Defense of Georgia.  Ms. Mshvidobadze is a member of the Academy of Political Science of Georgia.  She can speak about the cyber threat to Sochi, as well as the cultural implications of the Olympics, based on some of the venues.