NEW YORK, April 17. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin differs from the image the West tries to ascribe to him, co-founder of the US CNN satellite channel Reese Schonfeld wrote in the Huffington Post newspaper.

"Putin is acting as any political leader should, in trying to preserve and protect his country," Schonfeld says underlining that the Russian leader "always tried to act in the best interests of his country."

"It seems to me that the West is once more struggling to divide Russia from its eastern neighbors' putting increasing pressure on Putin as he struggles to retain Russia's influence in that area," he said commenting on media reports about NATO-planned military exercises close to borders of Russia and Ukraine.

Armed forces of Romania, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania are to take part in the drills scheduled for the coming week.

"I still remember that more than ten million Russian died battling Hitler who attacked Russia. I can well understand Putin's desire to guard his western flank," Schonfeld said.