Ben Nimmo: Yes, Putin really believes his own propaganda
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech at a ceremony to present state awards to Russian military personnel who fought in Syria at the Kremlin in Moscow, on March 17, 2016. President Vladimir Putin on March 17 warned that Russia could ramp up its military presence in Syria within "several hours" if needed, as he urged all sides of the conflict to respect a ceasefire.
Russia's worldview is conditioned by a conspiracy theory: the United States is out to get her. The trouble with this delusion is that Russia's actions and policy decisions appear to be built on it. To understand and predict Russia's behavior, Western policymakers need to grasp the fact that this delusion is real for Russia's leadership.
