The Russians are a really handy concept. When you don't want to talk about almost 70 years of occupation, displacement and human rights abuses: Blame them!

Same goes for Trump and the rise of populist movements across the west. Dying middle class? Lack of social mobility? Deindustrialisation? Dwindling prosperity? No, it's the Russians fault.

Just keep going and see what happens. You can put those things under the rug only for some time... until things blow up.