My question was how one can be frightened into thinking in a certain way.
That's one of the most basic tools authoritarian (or aspiring) regimes use. I'm quite certain you're fully aware of that so not sure why you keep asking.
Escalate the fear of enemies, real or perceived, and you can get away with all sorts of repressive measures. The West is Putin's favorite enemy, as well as terrorists, which is kind of a flexible category. Ukrainians too I guess.
We don't fear terrorists.
Out of Ukrainians, we fear a small number (70000 by Internal Ukrainian Minister Avakov's estimate) who are trained mercenaries hired
from prisons and so on, infused with extreme neonazi ideology. They do exist, and are feared also by current government of Ukraine.
They murdered and burned people in Odessa alive.
When have you last been there? or in Syria? you seem to know everything.