What we have discovered here is a tension between the notion of individual agency and this notion of outside forces (in this case Russia) manipulating individuals as Iago does to Othello and doing so en masse. I don't think that the word 'legitimacy' is strong enough to resolve this tension.
I recently read a report from some think tank which claimed that younger people are moving away from the individual liberty of the previous generations in favour of a stronger state. I've also read that the UK population in general appears to favour nationalism and a stronger state which I guess is national... socialism?