This was confirmed before the war in research by the Levada Center, a non-governmental polling firm widely trusted in the West. More than 66% of Russians blamed the conflict on America, NATO, or Ukraine. Only 4% said the conflict was Russia's fault.

Because Russians do not believe Putin was responsible for the war, they naturally do not blame him for sanctions. Citizens of the United States did not blame FDR for economic hardships like rationing during WW2. Russians have a similar perspective on wartime hardships today.

If anything, the perceived cruelty of the current sanctions is making the West *more* of a villain in Russia. Some Russians I know who had favorable opinions of the West now feel like they are *personally* under attack. They resent being the targets of economic warfare.

One of the most egregious examples is the attempt to block international calls into Russia. Today, many Russians overseas are having trouble reaching their families at home. This makes them angry – but not at Putin. It makes them hate the West.

The Russians who are upset with Putin about sanctions are the ones who already opposed him. They are a vocal, younger minority inside the country. But the people attending anti-war marches are the same ones who previously were marching against corruption.

Putin's base sees the Western pullout from Russia as an opportunity to purge the country of foreign influence. They *like* the idea of Western companies selling their stakes in state industries. They *like* replacing Western brands with Russian and Chinese substitutes.

I'm not arguing that these replacements will be smooth. They won't stop Russia's economy from heading for a deep recession. But nationalist sentiments inside Russia right now are so strong, that's a price Russians are willing to pay.

The Kremlin is doing everything in its power to strengthen those sentiments. It's why, within the last 2 days, it alleged that the U.S. was funding secret nuclear- and biological-weapons programs inside Ukraine.

In the West, these WMD claims were met with skepticism. But in Russia, they were widely believed. They reinforced the narrative that President Putin was forced to invade – because otherwise Ukraine might use WMDs in a war to retake Crimea or the Donbas.

The threat that Russia faces from Ukraine has been portrayed as the sequel to the threat from Nazi Germany – but this time, with WMDs. And the crackdown on dissenting media voices inside Russia ensures that narrative remains unchallenged.

If the goal of our policy towards Russia was to make it a closed, paranoid society – mission accomplished. But we shouldn't pretend that, any day now, Russians will feel the sting of our economic warfare and turn on their President. They're more likely to turn... on us.

@ClintEhrlich Like Russia, North Korea is more sinned against than sinner.

@ClintEhrlich Exactly.

@ClintEhrlich Russia is not the only country that censors uncomfortable narratives. My country of Australia is about to censor any pro-Russian narrative. Don’t say anything pro-Russian, or at least my government will shut you up. So much for “Liberal Democracy”, if it ever even existed.

@ClintEhrlich It's easy to say they were brainwashed. They may also think you've been brainwashed, I mean, none of you knew the truth because none of you were in the labs. All we have to do is wait and the days will prove or deny.

@ClintEhrlich How do you get to the conclusion that the apparition of this "new North Korea" w 6000 nukes is somehow the result (or was even influenced) by the US foreign policy ? You are thinking too high of the latter.

@ClintEhrlich //" For the sake of argument, let's assume that's true " You just provided arguments for why it IS true . //" created a "new North Korea"" Nothing new was created . western pundits can be blamed for being in denial & for failing to recognize what Russia is .

@ClintEhrlich "a new North Korea with 6000 nukes" From your lips to God's ears 🙏

@ClintEhrlich Where did North Korea get the materials to make 6000 nukes? I bet they really have about .0006 nukes

@ClintEhrlich As a matter of fact, most people don't know that Russia shares a border with North Korea.

@ClintEhrlich Zelensky quite directly threatened to "revisit" the 1994 treaty where Ukraine pledged denuclearization. This was at the Munich Security Conference. US has funded bioweapons labs throughout the world for decades why wouldn't they do so in a sacrificial puppet on Russia's doorstep?

@ClintEhrlich It's only a new north Korea if putin stays in power.

@ClintEhrlich What is the alternative then? Let Russia annex/install a puppet government in Ukraine against its will? The issue is that Putin considers Ukraine as part of its empire. Doing nothing is akin to letting Hitler take half of Poland without moving.

@ClintEhrlich The "paranoid state" narrative went too far when you started showing Russian villains in Bond films. Then there are ones like Black Widow where you make absolute caricature out of them! Things like these alienate a people and at some point in history, result in things like this.

@ClintEhrlich @Anarcish We have really got to get over the idea that our foreign policy “creates” conditions all over the world. We are not humanity’s showrunner

@ClintEhrlich I’d like to point out that an idea of being a “North Korea” with the highest amount of nukes doesn’t help anyone in this world

@ClintEhrlich You’re right, it is easy!

@ClintEhrlich You are saying U.S. is primarily to blame for how Putin is today?