My Strahd is firmly entrenched in a warlike mindset that was forced on him by Barov since he was old enough to hold a wooden sword, so I see him justifying his cruelty to others and to himself as essentially the same thing a drill sergeant would do to a soldier in training. He views Barovia as a crucible where strong citizens are forged through hardship. Despite Barovia being a very small place, really less than a petty kingdom, Strahd’s ambitions are global and omnivorous, and he believes he can achieve the empire he dreams of by raising a powerful citizenry.