Is Russian President Putin Paranoid?

Russian President Vladimir Putin (RIA Novosti/Michael Klimentyev)

Paranoia Leads Vladimir Putin To The Point Of No Return -- Angus Roxburgh, The Telegraph

The Russian leader’s personal insecurity will ensure that Crimea falls under his control.

As Sunday’s referendum, in which the people of Crimea will decide whether to join Russia, approaches, the images on Russian television are astonishing. They are more propagandistic and venomous than anything I can remember even from Soviet times. Breathless presenters whip up hysteria with bloodcurdling stories of atrocities being committed by the “neo-Nazi junta” now governing Ukraine. Overheated “victims” beg Putin to help, kindly Russians offer to give refuge to the terrified people fleeing Ukraine, and menacing music accompanies montages of swastikas, fascist thugs armed with clubs, and black-and-white images of Hitler’s troops and burning villages.

It is all apparently aimed at preparing the public to accept that there may be war, and that Russia will be fighting in a just cause. Yet I have a horrible feeling that President Putin believes all this stuff. He receives his information mainly from his trusted secret services – men like himself, schooled in the dark arts of KGB disinformation. I worked as a media consultant to the Kremlin from 2006 to 2009, close enough to gain a sense of Putin’s growing paranoia.

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My Comment: Someone should quote Buddha to Angus Roxburgh .... when you point a finger at someone you are actually pointing three at yourself. But I should not be surprised .... Angus Roxburgh is typical of the western media elites .... always demonize those that you disagree with. As to his commentary .... I have only the following to say. Is Putin paranoid .... no. Is he an authoritarian .... yes. Am I supporter of Putin .... absolutely not. Is the Russian news media jingoistic and pro-Russian .... yes .... but not to the extent that Angus Roxburgh is painting it. Is the Ukraine crisis Russia's fault .... no. Is Ukraine a mess .... yes .... and it is not Russia's fault. Is the West helping the situation .... no .... they are making it worse.

As to my prediction for the future .... Ukraine and it's government is in chaos, and the West is not ponying up the money that the Ukraine government needs to survive. Putin is not going to give these people any breaks .... he (like most Russians) knows too well who these Ukrainian nationalists are, and he will go to the grave before giving them a helping hand in the form of cheap gas or credits. As to the millions of Russians who live in Ukraine .... I can tell you that everyone in my family who lives there wants the country to split up. And while they no longer have confidence in the rule of law .... especially after their democratically elected (albeit corrupt) President was overthrown .... they are more deeply disturbed by the anti-Russian laws that the new central government is now determined and eager to impose .... laws that are deliberately targeting them. This is why no one should be surprised on Sunday's when Crimeans vote 80% (or more) to join Russia .... and there will be no need to have the ballot boxes stuffed.

Update: I forgot to mention this important point. Being one who watches the news from both sides .... I find the Russian media to be the same as the Western media when reporting emergencies and national security crisis .... they have a bias because their audience wants it .... and they produce their news accordingly. But if there is a news media outlet that has lost it's marbles in this crisis .... it's the Ukrainian media .... they make the Russia's media tame in comparison.