Russia firing artillery at Ukraine military positions, US says

The United States has evidence that Russian troops are firing artillery from inside Russia on Ukrainian military positions, a U.S. official alleged Thursday.

Moscow is also planning to send more rocket launchers to the pro-Russian separatist forces in Ukraine, U.S. deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters, saying the evidence was based on "intelligence information" but refusing to give further details.

"We have new evidence that the Russians intend to deliver heavier and more powerful multiple rocket launchers to the separatist forces in Ukraine, and have evidence that Russia is firing artillery from within Russia to attack Ukrainian military positions," Harf said.

Russia has in the past denied it is directly involved with the rebellion in its western neighbor, but the U.S. and its European allies accuse Moscow of arming and encouraging the uprising and have imposed sanctions on Russia in response.

Kiev said on Wednesday that preliminary information indicated that the missiles that brought down two government fighter jets over eastern Ukraine were fired from Russia.

Russia's Defense Ministry on Thursday dismissed this, saying it was "an attempt to mislead the public," Interfax news agency reported, citing a defense ministry official.

Wire Services