In its final report on the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, the United Nations Environment Programme confirmed in June that the proposed construction of bobsleigh tracks and an Olympic village on the Grushevy Ridge could cause environmental damage to the mountainous conservation area.
"These facilities should be relocated to a different place, to be agreed with the International Olympic Committee," Putin said, referring to the structures planned for the Grushevy Ridge.
But Putin, who as Russian president was a major factor in Sochi's victorious bid to host the Olympics, said the relocation of the facilities should not delay their construction.
"I must turn the attention of the construction organizers that they should stick to the deadline [of completing the construction] agreed upon with the International Olympic Committee," the prime minister said.
Environmental groups said earlier this year that the planned bobsleigh route running along the border of the Caucasus Nature Reserve was one of the most harmful Olympic projects. Other top concerns were the alpine Olympic village and a rail link in the region, classified by UNESCO as the only mountainous area in Europe that remains virtually undamaged by humans.
Putin said it was necessary to develop the region's infrastructure strictly in accordance with the requirement of preserving the environment.
"From the beginning we set the goal of improving the infrastructure and transportation, but it all goes for environmental protection as well, and that is why everything that we do here should improve the region's environment, because if we do the opposite, it will all be pointless," he said.
Putin also told the chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission, Jean-Claude Killy, that Russia's Black Sea resort region is part of the country's heritage, which Russia "treasures and will do everything to preserve it."
Killy said in turn that the IOC supports the decision to relocate the facilities and so far has no problems with preparations for the 2014 Olympics.
The Coordination Commission was established by the IOC to specifically monitor preparations for the Olympic Games. Based on recommendations from the Coordination Commission, the IOC, in particular, makes decisions regarding relocation of disputed Olympic facilities and, in extreme case, can cause the IOC to change host cities.
Russia's environment protection activists called Putin's decision to relocate the Olympic facilities from the Gruzhevy Ridge as Russia's "first Olympic victory at the Games."
"The World Wildlife Fund hails Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's decision to relocate Olympic facilities so that their construction will not harm the environment of the Caucasus," a WWF spokesman said.
Russian Regional Development Minister Dmitry Kozak said that some 500 million rubles ($21.5 million) had been allocated specifically to meet environmental needs during the construction of the Olympic facilities.
Sochi won the right to host the Olympics at an IOC session in Guatemala in July 2007 after a close race with South Korea's Pyeongchang and Austria's Salzburg.
Russia will be hosting the Winter Olympics for the first time. Moscow hosted the Summer Olympics in 1980, but the event was marred by a U.S.-led boycott involving more than 60 countries.
