WSJ on Russia's recent tilt to war footing against the West. The "imminent threat" of war comes as news to most US and EU citizens, as this is mostly an internal propaganda exercise.
The rhetoric reinforces Russians’ idea that their country is a superpower on par with the U.S. It also offers a distraction from an economic recession and from President Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings, which have dipped from recent highs. The threat of nuclear war also keeps the population pliant and uncritical, said Lev Gudkov, head of the Russian polling group Levada-Center.
“Most people believe that the Third World War has begun, but right now we are still in the cold phase of the war, which may or may not turn into a hot war,” he said. “And during war, you have to support your country’s authorities.”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-revives-nuclear-shelters-as-cold-war-heats-up-1477301408
