I think you're misunderstanding how propaganda works. Certainly, states lie, and certainly, states commit false flag actions. However, it's much more common tha

I think you're misunderstanding how propaganda works. Certainly, states lie, and certainly, states commit false flag actions. However, it's much more common that they frame narratives or manipulate news cycles to get their ideas across. In a case like this, where they have no reason to lie, they're almost certainly telling the truth. It's also far more common that they provoke and propogate skepticism and conspiracy theories, so citizens don't react on information they obtain, since they are skeptical of everything. The ideal mindset for a propagandaist is not certainty, but rather universal cynicism. Elections are rigged? Maybe. Extra-judicial executions? Sounds probable. Aliens? Who knows? In a country where the basic values of truth and honesty are undermined, the state will always win - because it has the resources to drown out opposing narratives.