This conspiracy theory claims that Western intelligence agencies, together with secret groups (the Freemasons), allegedly deliberately tried to bring people with "mental disabilities" to power in Russia in order to create a "fifth column" to weaken the state internally. According to adherents of this theory, such manipulations allow the West to bloodlessly conquer society and take control of the country. They say this has already happened in the Baltic countries and Moldova. Supporters of this theory are convinced that only a “small fry” of officials loyal to Russia under the leadership of Putin, a “real hero”, resist Western influence, saving the country from collapse.

There is no evidence to support the claim that the West secretly controls governments and allegedly installs “mentally defective” people into power en masse. Political decisions in most countries often contradict Western policies. In addition, although the Baltics and Moldova have experienced difficulties since the collapse of the USSR, their current state is the result of their own internal policies, not external “undermining”. The use of the image of a “hero fighting for the country” contributes to the division of society and reinforces the idea of the need for an external enemy to bring division and weaken the state. This is a common propaganda technique for strengthening authoritarian control.

Russia uses this conspiracy theory to justify its aggressive actions against Ukraine and to give them a supposedly “defensive” character. Within this conspiracy theory, the Ukrainian government is portrayed as a “Western-controlled” force that threatens Russian influence and “traditional values”. By claiming that the West is “coercing” post-Soviet states into submission, Russian propaganda justifies the invasion of Ukraine as a supposedly necessary response to an imaginary threat. It also serves as a tool to mobilize support among the population due to fears of losing national identity.