When a Malaysian airliner was shot down over Ukraine – most likely by pro-Russia rebels – the official Kremlin story was that Western secret services downed it to undermine Putin's reputation. Allegations like these have whipped up nationalism, hatred, and anti-Western hysteria, distracting Russians from Putin's culpability for their country's economic crisis.
克里姆林宫在根据自身需要扭曲事实方面可谓行家里手。俄罗斯吞并克里米亚前，克里姆林宫宣称美国雇用狙击手朝基辅的亲西方示威群众开火，然后指责俄罗斯造成了他们的死亡。马来西亚航空公司航班在乌克兰领空被击落时——最有可能是由亲俄叛军干的——克里姆林宫官员的说辞是西方秘密部门击落了这架飞机，目的是败坏普京的名声。类似的指控助长了民族主义、仇恨和反西方西斯底里，将俄罗斯人的注意力从普京对俄罗斯经济危机的责任上移开。