The 5 conspiracy theories Putin uses to justify the Ukraine war - MSN
msn.com
Putin's war narrative is a masterclass in political myth-making — revealing exactly how authoritarian regimes manufacture consent through conspiracy theory and propaganda.
Propaganda TheoryScapegoatingSocial Identity TheoryManufacturing Consent
Theory Briefing
- Putin deploys five recurring conspiracy theories — including 'the West wants to destroy Russia' — to frame an offensive war as existential self-defense.
- Each narrative exploits in-group/out-group psychology, casting NATO and Ukraine as existential threats to manufacture domestic support for the invasion.
- Propaganda theory explains why these myths persist: repetition through state media rewires public perception until fabricated threats feel as real as factual ones.