How do you say “cope” in Russian?

Staying in a dictator’s good graces requires people who are willing to tell the truth — that everything is just fine:

President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has been misinformed by his advisers about the Russian military’s struggles in Ukraine, according to declassified U.S. intelligence.

The intelligence, according to multiple U.S. officials, shows what appears to be growing tension between Mr. Putin and the Ministry of Defense, including with the Russian defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, who was once among the most trusted members of the Kremlin’s inner circle.

Speaking in Algiers, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken acknowledged Mr. Putin had been given less than truthful information from his advisers.

“With regard to President Putin, look, what I can tell you is this, and I said this before, one of the Achilles’ heel of autocracies is that you don’t have people in those systems who speak truth to power or who have the ability to speak truth to power,” Mr. Blinken said. “And I think that is something that we’re seeing in Russia.”

I must say I’m a little puzzled by this. Surely Putin’s lackeys can give him the unvarnished truth, because everything has in fact gone according to plan:

If you focus on a few of the things Putin said and ignore everything else he said AND ignore what could easily be inferred from his invasion plans, then everything is in fact going great for him! Just ask Bret Stephens!