ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — President Vladimir Putin is often and accurately depicted as the only decision maker when it comes to Russia’s policy on Ukraine. However, it is important not to underestimate the strength of his domestic mandate. Recent polls show he enjoys the support of some 68 percent of Russian citizens, and I can personally attest to the fact that many intelligent critics of Putin support his Ukrainian policy — a point often overlooked by Western media. Why do many educated Russians think this way?

One obvious observation is that the leading Russian mass media is under government control. According to polls by the Russian Public Opinion Research Center and the Levada Center, about 43 percent of Russians interviewed said they think “Western actions” are the chief culprit behind the crisis, though they are more circumspect when it comes to identifying who escalated it: Some 45 percent blame Ukraine’s ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych, 38 percent blame Western leaders and 35 percent point the finger at the Ukrainian opposition.

While it is easy for Russians to access alternative views online, these sometimes serve only to highlight the double standards of Putin’s critics, legitimizing the Russian leader’s own double standards. A case in point is Secretary of State John Kerry’s remark on March 2 that “You just don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped-up pretext” — a statement that also conjures up President George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq.

In any event, Russians have a long tradition of state censorship to thank for their highly refined ability to read between the lines of any media report and interpret it according to their own preconceived ideas. Russians typically will not believe any official information precisely because it is official, and that holds equally true for information from the West.