By Monday, it seemed the West had won the PR war. Thousands of miles from the battle front, armchair Churchills were successfully oblivious to Putin’s grudges and passing it on that he is simply a madman and that the Baltics and Poland could be next.

The Western Allies’ media ban threatens that. Propaganda junkies need to vary their kicks and western outlets will cater. If the Kremlin has something important to say, it’ll now come via the Guardian or the Daily Mail or Fox, right into the living rooms of a normally un-critical demographic.

As for those of us who occasionally tune in to Moscow, I wouldn’t even have noticed the ban without the dramatic statements from London and Brussels. Needless to say, it is easy to overcome with proxy-gloves.

A tragic war is being fought for the soul of Russia and the sovereignty of the Ukraine. Meanwhile, a petty battle continues against the internet’s freedom of association, decentralised currency and ease of movement. Anyone who intervenes in pursuit of civic power will be sorely disappointed.