[the_grue]

> then it just doesn't even apply

Then you don't seem to have an argument against Hanlon's razor?

> Hanlon setting up malice and stupidity as an exclusive or gate, is not

In this case, clearly, the two explanations are incompatible: either Putin planned the world to discover that he was lying about the assassination, etc., etc., or he did not.

> brings back museum quality amphorae

That's a completely different class of lies. That one is a bravado that shows the level of intelligence he assumes in his fans, nothing more. He certainly didn't risk getting himself into another cold war by fishing out those amphorae!