The Guardian view on Putin’s propaganda: the strongman myth hides great strategic weakness

‘History will surely record Mr Putin’s conduct in Ukraine as the action of a delusional murderer.’ Photograph: Mikhail Metzel/AP

For a quarter of a century, Russian media have cultivated a myth of Vladimir Putin’s inspired leadership. State propaganda allows no hint of presidential fallibility. When things go wrong, official news ignores the setbacks. When problems cannot be downplayed, Mr Putin is portrayed as the wise corrector of errors made by underlings.

Foreign perceptions of Mr Putin have been shaped by this image. It has been boosted online by Kremlin influence operations and embraced by nationalist politicians who admire the Russian president’s methods of domestic control and contempt for the rule of law.