This is a classic approach, or the concept of the Russian world - lie always, lie everywhere, lie with or without reason! The main thing is to lie!
I couldn't disagree, but I think modern western governments are more advanced in the "lying game" than anyone else.
- for the local population in Russia, you can give out any nonsense in the media at all
You can do the same thing in the U.S, you can lie to someone who works from 8 to 5, take their tax money, and spend it in a war 7000 miles away from home, and they will still believe that an 18-year-old kid living on a mountain is an existential threat to their country.
Of course, this is pretty universal, the Chinese do the same thing, African governments do the same thing, it's very important to realize that ALL governments manipulate their own people, by not realizing that and thinking that all governments are lying except yours -- it would only prove that you have had a successful brainwash.