Dr Matveeva and Professor Sakwa criticise “the demonisation” of Russia (Letters, 5 February). No country should be demonised, particularly demonised by major powers like the UK. As the scholars wisely point out, this can be dangerous, risking global catastrophe. Russian media demonise the US, the UK and Germany. President Obama and Dr Merkel are under constant attack. Clearly the often obscene attacks against western leaders are aimed at weakening their public standing, and eroding western values and the cohesion and security of the European Union and its historical ties to the United States.

West must condemn Russian action in Syria | Letters Read more

President Putin of Russia, buoyed by extraordinarily high oil prices and perceiving no possible credible response from Nato, set about to dismember Ukraine. This has turned into a fiasco for Russia. The pain of sanctions has been exacerbated by a dramatic drop in the price of oil and other commodities. Counter-sanctions by Russia to stop imports of food from Ukraine, Poland, Turkey and the Baltic states have led to steep rises in the price of food, the pain of which has been doubled by the falling value of the rouble and cutbacks of medical and other services.

Clearly, the people of Russia have been caused undue suffering by the imprudent decisions of their leader. There is no doubt that if a humanitarian crisis emerges in Russia, people in western countries will respond with generosity. We pray that Russian leaders will reverse their dangerous course and stop demonising the west for their own failings.

Vidvuds Beldavs

Jelgava, Latvia

• I wonder if MPs are still as proud of their “courageous” decision not to bomb Assad’s Syria (Assad offensive drives 20.000 Syrians to desperate last refuge on Turkish border, 6 February)?

Gordon Graham

Stockport