Good morning and welcome to Morning Joe. On this Thursday, March 31st, we've got a lot to get to this morning, including the ignorance of Vladimir Putin. That's how U.S. officials are describing the Russian leader as his advisor shield him from how badly the

invasion is going. And despite vowing to scale back its offensive, Russia is stepping up attacks

near Kiev and other areas of the country. We're also following two big headlines out of the

entertainment industry. actor Bruce Willis

steps away from acting because of a health condition.

And what Chris Rock said at his stand-up show last night about getting slapped on stage at the

Oscars in front of an international audience by Will Smith.

As we said, a lot to get to, so let's dive right in. U.S. intelligence

officials have determined Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by his advisors about Russia's

military struggles in Ukraine. A U.S. official provided NBC News with declassified intelligence

claiming there is persistent tension between Putin

and his Ministry of Defense. That's because some senior advisors are, quote, too afraid to tell him

the truth about Russia's failures in Ukraine. U.S. officials believe Putin has been getting

incomplete or overly optimistic reports about the status of Russian troops,

creating a mistrust between Putin and his military leaders.

Officials told the New York Times the Russian leader seemed genuinely unaware that his military had been using conscripts in Ukraine and that drafted soldiers were among those killed in action.

They say Putin's ignorance showed a clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information to the Russian president.

Officials also said Putin had an incomplete understanding about how damaging

Western sanctions had been on the Russian economy. Here's what some Biden administration

officials had to say yesterday. It understandably would be an issue of concern if for not just our European allies and partners,

but certainly for Ukraine, if Mr. Putin is misinformed or uninformed about what's going on inside Ukraine.

It's his military. It's his war. He chose it. And so the fact that he may not have

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