"US Considers Providing Cluster Munitions to Ukraine Amidst Controversy"

The mutiny by the Wagner Group in Russia is a reflection of the corrosive effect of the war in Ukraine, according to CIA Director William J. Burns. As Ukraine seeks more weaponry for its counteroffensive against Russia, the Biden administration is considering supplying cluster bombs, although concerns about civilian harm and optics remain. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has offered Wagner troops an abandoned military base in Belarus, and satellite imagery suggests the rapid construction of a new camp. Ukraine's counteroffensive is expected to be long and bloody, with the need for more weapons emphasized by Ukraine's top military commander. The UN's nuclear watchdog found no visible evidence of explosives at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, but further checks are required. Russia is reducing its presence at the plant, and Ukrainian employees have been told to evacuate. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky aims to show results on the battlefield before the next NATO summit. Belarus has passed a law allowing the ban of media outlets from unfriendly countries, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed European solidarity during his visit to Ukraine. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed support for Russian President Vladimir Putin's efforts to solidify power after the failed Wagner revolt. Japan has raised concerns about repeated Russian military activity near its territory. The Kremlin is dismantling and taking control of Yevgeniy Prigozhin's empire, including the Wagner Group, propaganda media, and internet troll factories.