“Putin is not sitting in a bunker telling everyone to hide the truth,” Mr. Mezak said. “Local officials lie because this is what they have always done. It is a habit.”

So sad but true. You see this in many governments, cultures, and organizations. No one is told to lie, but everyone knows they better not tell the whole truth. This is how you get Chernobyl, this is probably why the Chinese didn't notify the world more quickly (lower rungs weren't passing bad news up), this is how bad problems become much much worse.