Independent Russian pollster Levada Center found in December that two-thirds of respondents blame Ukraine, the U.S. or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization for the escalating tensions. Just 4% blamed the Kremlin.

Ilya Shepelin, who analyzes government-run media on the independent Dozhd television channel, said airtime devoted to Ukraine is now at its highest level since Moscow seized Crimea in early 2014 and began backing the rebellion in Donbas.

“The main point is that we don’t want to attack Ukraine,” Mr. Shepelin said of the view advanced on state media. “We are peace-loving, but Western media are making us the aggressors.”

Russian propaganda has also fueled the continued armed conflict over Donbas. In one oft-cited incident early in the war, Russian state television aired a report alleging Ukrainian forces had publicly crucified a three-year-old child. The story turned out to be fake.