> But what if Putin isn't lying about his intentions. What if his intention is to have a special operation, it's just that his definition of a special operation

> But what if Putin isn't lying about his intentions. What if his intention is to have a special operation, it's just that his definition of a special operation doesn't preclude him indiscriminately killing civilians. (but it DOES preclude him launching the full might of the russian air force) That kind of thinking seems implausible (i.e. he feels tightly bound by some contrived definition to hold back his air force, but not his army). It's far more plausible that the "special operation" language is a propaganda smokescreen. More specifically a domestic propaganda smokescreen, since they've very suddenly made it very illegal to call it anything else.