Originally Posted by mild

Russia likes being provoked. It means that Putin and Medvedev can look strong by shaking their fists at the West, while using their decrepit military to bully non-allied small fry that they can actually take on. It creates the illusion of an emergency, which builds solidarity & national pride in Russia and nicely distracts Russians from what total b*astards they are (Putin and Medvedev, not russians in general).