on Moscow, the U.S. on Sunday
released satellite images it says show
that rockets have been fired from
Russia into neighboring eastern
Ukraine and that heavy artillery for
separatists has crossed the border.
The images, which came from the U.S.
Director of National Intelligence and
could not be independently verified by
The Associated Press, show blast
marks where rockets were launched
and craters where they landed. Officials
said the images show heavy weapons
fired between July 21 and July 26 —
after the July 17 downing of Malaysia
Airlines Flight 17.
The four-page memo is part of the
Obama administration's push to hold
Russia accountable for its activities in
neighboring Ukraine, and the release
could help to persuade the United
States' European allies to apply harsher
sanctions on Russia.
The timing of the memo also could be
aimed at dissuading Russia from
further military posturing. The
Pentagon said just days ago that the
movement of Russian heavy-caliber
artillery systems across its border into
Ukraine was "imminent."
Moscow has angrily denied allegations
of Russia's involvement in eastern
Ukraine. Russia's foreign ministry over
the weekend accused the U.S. of
conducting "an unrelenting campaign
of slander against Russia, ever more
relying on open lies."
Secretary of State John Kerry spoke by
phone Sunday with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov, urging him to
stop the flow of heavy weapons and
rocket and artillery fire from Russia
into Ukraine, said a State Department
official. Kerry did not accept Lavrov's
denial that heavy weapons from Russia
were contributing to the conflict, said
the official, who spoke on condition of
anonymity to provide details of the call.
There was no immediate comment
from Moscow.
The U.S. images claim to show multiple
rocket launchers fired at Ukrainian
forces from within Ukraine and from
Russian soil. One image shows dozens
of craters around a Ukrainian military
unit and rockets that can travel more
than seven miles.
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