The "narrative" is verified by numerous independent sources.

npr.org - A russian strike on ukraines odesa has killed one and badly damaged a cathedral

There is no evidence it was a "missile defense error". Those things can happen, but just declaring that it is so doesn't make it so. Russia may not have deliberately targeted the cathedral, but it is almost certain their munitions hit it.

As for the larger war, Putin himself has made several speeches about de-Nazification and such. I don't speak Russian, but I suspect if the translations were inaccurate someone would have called the media on it. He has made his intentions and goals clear. He almost made it to Kiev, but that was thwarted. Otherwise there likely wouldn't be a Ukraine anymore.

As for "moving NATO" around Russia's borders, those nations joined voluntarily (and in fear of Russia). Putin has only himself to blame for that.

About the only thing you got right (verifiably) is that this is becoming a proxy war. Like 'Nam, or even Korea. And then we hamstring the Ukrainians by saying they can't use our weapons on targets inside the recognized borders of Russia. Which makes it easy to put assets inside Russia where the Ukrainians can't attack them (except with their own munitions, which are rather limited). Oh...you also were correct that the longer we send weapons, the longer this will go on. Sure. That's because Putin can't easily give up without appearing weak, and the Ukrainians don't want to be under Putin's control. The weapons we send help them stop the Russian invasion. Without them, this would have been over months ago (probably). Just like Czechoslovakia in 1968 (the Soviets couldn't have reformists in their midst!). I don't know if they called that action "de-Nazification" too.