If he is purposefully lying he isn't delusional. If he is so delusional that he believes in his fake reality, he is being honest [but wrong]
It's one or the other.
I respectfully beg to differ.
You can be forgiven for not recognizing or understanding the delusional way Russians think. And lie.
They are objectively, authentically delusional in their honest beliefs that Russia is all mighty, morally, intellectually and militarily superior to all others. I believe they believe their own worldview to be superior.
But Russians
have always had to "purposely lie" to exist and survive.
An absolute bedrock foundation of the Russian state is manipulating and controlling through highly refined propaganda. That is to say that Russia is
founded in dishonesty.
So if Russians say they have destroyed 35 Abrams tanks this week, they are lying and they know it. But it serves their propaganda purposes.