Russian Media Blames the U.S. for Escalating Ukraine Crisis, Says Holy Cross History Professor and Russia Expert

Many column inches around the world have been devoted to the growing tensions between Ukraine and Russia, but what is the Russian media's narrative on President Vladimir Putin's potential call to invade Ukraine?

According to Cynthia Hooper, associate professor of history and director of Russian and Eastern European Studies at Holy Cross, Kremlin-controlled Russian television is blaming the U.S. for escalating the Ukraine crisis by creating "hysteria,"

In a recent piece for The Conversation, Hooper says that despite the state-controlled media's efforts, it's hard to know what everyday Russians believe.

"The question then becomes, do most Russians really believe in their homegrown propaganda?," says Hooper. "This is hard to tell, particularly amid an ongoing crackdown to silence independent voices and organizations."

To read the full article, go to TheConversation.com.