special military operation
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: spĕsh′əl mĭl′ĭ-tĕr′ē ŏp′ə-rā′shən
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.iː ˌɒp.əˈɹeɪ̯.ʃən/
note: older
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.iː ˌɔːp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.i ˌɑp.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
note: without the cot–caught merger
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.i ˌɔp.əˈɹeɪ̯.ʃən/
note: without the cot–caught merger
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.i ˌɒp.əˈɹeɪ̯.ʃən/
ipa: /ˈspeʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌteɹ.iː ˌɔp.əˈɹæɪ̯.ʃən/
ipa: /ˈspeʃ.əl ˈməl.əˌteɹ.iː ˌɒp.əˈɹæɪ̯.ʃən/
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.əl ˈmɪl.ɪˌtɛɹ.i ˌɔp.əˈɹe.ʃən/
ipa: /ˈspɛʃ.i̯al ˈmɪl.ɪˌʈɛɾ.iː ˌɔp.eˈɾeː.ʃi̯on/
Forms: form: special military operations
Etymology: Calque of Russian специа́льная вое́нная опера́ция (speciálʹnaja vojénnaja operácija), a phrase used by Vladimir Putin upon launching an attack on Ukraine on 24 February 2022:
In this regard, in accordance with Article 51 of Part 7 of the UN Charter, with the approval of the Federation Council of Russia and in pursuance of the treaties of friendship and mutual assistance ratified by the Duma on 22 February with the Donetsk People’s Republic and the Luhansk People’s Republic, I decided to launch a special military operation.
Senses: examples: text: By undermining the effectiveness of the sanctions regime being imposed on Russia, China clearly hopes to weaken the compliance mechanism that keeps that order working and under American control. Beijing probably also has an eye on blunting the effectiveness of this particular mechanism so that it can’t be effectively deployed against China in the event that Beijing feels compelled to conduct its own “special military operation” against Taiwan.
ref: 2022 March 25, Andrew Latham, “Three reasons why the China-Russia alliance is deepening”, in The Hill, archived from the original on 25 Mar 2022:
text: China could be planning its own Russia-style “special military operation” in Taiwan, an island that the Chinese Communist Party insists is Chinese territory, according to reports from China.
ref: 2022 June 17, Jack Buckby, “A Chinese Invasion of Taiwan Could Unleash an Economic Disaster”, in RealClearDefense, archived from the original on 17 Jun 2022:
text: China's "special military operation" will not take place now. Before that happens, China would have to carry out at least one major military maneuver with live fire in exercises that could end up taking place tomorrow according to a few posts ago highlighting the tuning between 2022 and 1995/1996.
ref: 2022 August 2, Suetham, “Fourth Taiwan Strait Crisis”, in SinoDefenceForum, archived from the original on 08 Sep 2022:
text: Medvedev cited these supposed “Western analysts” in order to propagate Russia’s colonial fantasy: envisioning Ukraine’s territory reduced to just the Kyiv region, while the remainder of Ukraine would be divided among Russia, Poland, Romania, and Hungary. Such a narrative recalls Putin’s February 2022 speech questioning Ukraine’s statehood and accompanies intensifying Russian calls to expand its “special military operation” to realize its imperial map.
ref: 2022 August 24, “Russia’s War on Ukraine: Six Months of Lies, Implemented”, in United States Department of State, archived from the original on 24 Aug 2022:
text: Beijing expresses understanding of reasons that made Russia begin the special military operation for protection of Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Monday.
ref: 2022 September 5, “China expresses understanding of reasons behind Russia’s special military operation — aide”, in TASS, archived from the original on 05 Sep 2022:
text: When asked if Beijing considers a special military operation against Taiwan possible, Liu Xiaoming said that the Chinese government reserves the right to take all necessary measures to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
ref: 2023 April 27, “CHINESE SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE LIU XIAOMING GAVE AN INTERVIEW TO TASS”, in Center for International Security and Strategy Tsinghua University, archived from the original on 06 May 2023:
text: Repeated clashes between the two warring parties would threaten more Chinese people and the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor if they expand, with displaced people fleeing toward the Chinese frontier. If that happens, Beijing could be forced to conduct its own “special military operation” in Myanmar’s territory to reestablish the buffer.
ref: 2024 January 10, Emanuele Scimia, “How multiple global challenges may limit Beijing’s options on Taiwan”, in South China Morning Post, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Jan 2024, Opinion:
synonyms: word: SMO
word: SVO
glosses: A military situation resembling a war; especially the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.
wikipedia: Vladimir Putin
Related terms: nonwar
police action