Putin vows to annihilate ‘terrorists’

President Vladimir Putin has pledges to annihilate "terrorists" following two deadly bomb attacks in less than 24 hours in the southern Russian city of Volgograd that raised security fears in the run-up to the Winter Olympics.

The uncompromising remarks in a New Year's Eve address were Putin's first public comments since suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolley-bus on Sunday and Monday.

The bombings raised fears of further attacks before Russia hosts the Winter Olympics in less than six weeks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a major prestige project for Putin.

"I am certain that we will fiercely and consistently continue the fight against terrorists until their complete annihilation", Putin said, according to Russian news agencies.

"Dear friends, we bow our heads before the victims of cruel terrorist acts," Putin said on a visit to the east coast city of Khabarovsk.

Putin, who first became president when his predecessor Boris Yeltsin stepped down and named him to the post exactly 14 years ago on Tuesday, has been unable to defeat fighters in the Muslim provinces of the North Caucasus.