Russia Says It Destroyed Two US-Supplied HIMARS Rocket Systems In Ukraine Russia’s defense ministry announced Wednesday that its forces operating in Ukraine have destroyed two US-supplied rocket systems recently transferred to Ukrainian forces under authorization of the Biden administration. In particular, Moscow is claiming it took out a pair of advanced High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), which have served to greatly expand the targeting range of the Ukrainian army. Earlier in the war, Russia vowed to attack any foreign supplied weapons or convoys it finds on the battlefield, further saying it would hold the supplying nations “responsible”.  US Army file image There’s as yet no independent confirmation, and it’s unlikely that the Ukrainian side would confirm even if true. Kiev has reportedly denied it. If accurate, it would be a devastating rollback of efforts to give Kiev longer range rockets, given at this point the Ukrainians likely only possess less than half a dozen HIMARS. It also takes time to train the Ukrainians on the complicated mobile systems being transferred. This could mean the destruction of half of the US-made HIMARS deployed by the Ukrainians. Reuters recounts, “Ukraine had received only four HIMARS systems as of early July, the European Council on Foreign Relations said in a report. The U.S. has pledged to deliver eight by mid-July.” Further according to Reuters, citing the Russian military: It also said Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots storing rockets for the HIMARS near the frontline in a village south of Kramatorsk in Ukraine’s Donetsk region – the main focus for Russian troops following the capture of Luhansk over the weekend. The ministry released video footage which it said showed the strike. Reuters could not independently verify the strike. One war analyst, Samuel Ramani, commented that the Kremlin claim “underscores Russia’s desire to specifically target

President Joe Biden’s Department of Justice announced Tuesday it is suing Arizona over an election integrity law that will require voters to show proof of American citizenship in order to vote in federal elections. Arizona House Bill (H.B.) 2492 – which is scheduled to go into effect Jan. 1, 2023 – aims to protect lawful votes by requiring proof of citizenship to cast a ballot, Gov. Doug Ducey’s office explained after his signing on March 30. If an individual cannot provide proof of citizenship, he or she will “not be eligible to vote in a presidential election or by mail.” According to a DOJ press release, the Biden administration alleges the law violates the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 and the 1964 Civil Rights Act. “For nearly three decades, the National Voter Registration Act has helped to move states in the right direction by eliminating unnecessary requirements that have historically made it harder for eligible voters to access the registration rolls,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Arizona has passed a law that turns the clock back on progress by imposing unlawful and unnecessary requirements that would block eligible voters from the registration rolls for certain federal elections.” At the bill’s signing, Gov. Doug Ducey argued that it “is a balanced approach that honors Arizona’s history of making voting accessible without sacrificing security in our elections.” “Federal law prohibits non-citizens from voting in federal elections. Arizona law prohibits non-citizens from voting for all state and local offices, and requires proof of citizenship,” Ducey had said in a letter explaining his support for the measure. “H.B. 2492 provides clarity to Arizona law on how officials process federal form voter registration applications that lack evidence of citizenship.” The Biden administration’s lawsuit comes as illegal