Putin demands regular reports on Sochi Olympics

Russian President Vladimir Putin has asked the organisers of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics for fortnightly reports on the preparations for the Games.

The Black Sea resort is set to host the Winter Olympics next February. Putin described the work already done as "enormous" and urged not to slow its pace, reports Xinhua.

"I am going to come here more often and ask you to submit reports to me every two weeks," Putin told a meeting with officials in charge of the Games preparations in Sochi.

"The result we expect is a brilliant organisation of the Games," he said, while pointing at current shortcomings in construction of some sporting venues, poor state of communications and city infrastructure.

Putin also demanded to make tickets affordable for Russians, especially for those living in the province.

"People should afford the tickets, people should have a possibility to watch (the Games), to get behind our team, to sense the festivities," he said.

Ticket sales start Oct 10.

According to the steering committee estimations, the demand is expected to reach 110,000, mostly for opening and closing ceremonies as well as for ice hockey and figure skating competitions.

On Monday, Putin also took part in the opening ceremony of the Russian International Olympic University in Sochi and visited the Main Situation Center to supervise the large-scale drills of the Olympics-related structures.

Head of the steering committee Dmitry Chernyshenko told Putin that starting Jan 7, a month before the Games' kick-off, a special security regime will be introduced in Sochi.

In addition to a valid ticket, a visitor will be required to obtain "a fan passport" to attend events or to enter the Olympic zones.

The Olympic torch relay is to start from Greece in 13 days.