Putin Warns of Terrorism as Opposition Leader is Arrested

All too familiar playbook

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned his security services yesterday that they will have to redouble their efforts to prevent terrorists and extremists from disrupting an upcoming string of high-profile sports events to be hosted by Russia, including the Sochi Winter Olympics in 2014.

But the Kremlin, which announced today they would be charging prominent left-wing opposition leader Sergei Udaltsov with "organizing disorder," also appears to be moving to conflate terrorists with the largely peaceful opposition movement.