MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin hoisted the flame that will burn at the Sochi 2014 Winter Games high in Red Square on Sunday, bringing his personal campaign to stage Russia's first post-Soviet Olympics within sight of completion.
Declaring that "our shared dream is becoming reality," Putin signalled the start of a 123-day, 65,000 km (40,000 mile) torch relay that will take the flame to the North Pole and outer space before the Olympics begin in the Black Sea resort on February 7.
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