article_snippet: (CNN)Vladimir Putin lies.
article_snippet: The Russian President's website reported the following exchange at a March 4, 2014, news conference: .
article_snippet: "Why don't you take a look at the post-Soviet states?  
article_snippet: At the same news conference, Vladimir Putin said Vladimir Putin saw no possibility of Crimea joining Russia and said Moscow would do nothing to "provoke" that.
article_snippet: So, it is clear that Vladimir Putin can and does lie.
article_snippet: Second, while Vladimir Putin may play fast and loose with the truth, Vladimir Putin appears to be a rational actor who calculates costs and benefits.
article_snippet: As far as is publicly known, Moscow has not taken the more serious step of deploying the missile.
article_snippet: Russia did not withdraw Russia military equipment or secure the Ukraine-Russia border.
article_snippet: A Kremlin spokesman dismissed the idea that Russia was a party to the agreement -- even though Russia's ambassador signed it.
article_snippet: (Putin's continual denials that Russian troops are in eastern Ukraine Ukraine have zero credibility after the Crimea case.)