The US has stepped up pressure on Moscow by releasing satellite images it says, show that heavy weapons were fired from Russia into neighboring eastern Ukraine last week. The satellite images are seen to help the US to persuade its European allies to apply harsher sanctions on Russia.
The U-S State Department says these satellite images are evidence that Russia has been firing artillery shells into Ukraine. First we see what are supposedly impact craters caused by artillery strike on the Ukrainian side of the border and then we see what the U-S claims are blast marks from Rocket Launchers on the Russian side of the border.
It’s difficult for the untrained eye to know what is going on in these images, but the US says this shows Russia is escalating the conflict in Eastern Ukraine.
"We are putting out evidence to confirm the points that not has Russia been providing the weapons across the border, including heavy weapons, but they have also now been firing artillery barrages across the border. All that proves that this is increasingly the situation where it’s not just Russian backed separatists. They are essentially Russian proxies," White House senior advisor Ben Rhodes said.
The Russian’s haven’t responded to the release of these images but last week the Russian Foreign Ministry denied firing into Ukraine, calling the charges quote "Unfounded Insinuations".
On Thursday Russia’s Defense Ministry said Ukrainian forces had repeatedly launched rockets into Russian territory--killing one Russian citizen.
"The Russian side has registered nine cases of shelling of Russian territory in June and July of this year. Dozens of Ukrainian missiles and mines exploded in our territory. If the territory of the United States of America was shelled by the bordering country and, God forbid, a US citizen died, what would the Americans do," Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said.
On American Television Sunday Ukraine’s Foreign Minister made a case for more US aid.
"We need U.S. assistance for success and for successful economic reforms. But we also need more assistance on the ground, also for our forces," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said.
The US has ruled out so-called "boots on the ground"--- meaning no US troops will be going to Ukraine.
The US has suggested it would like to see greater sanctions against Russian, perhaps sector wide sanctions that could have a major impact on the Russian economy. To do that they will likely need European cooperation. The US hopes the release of these satellite photos will help make their case.
