24 July 2014
Last updated at 17:35 ET
Fighting in eastern Ukraine is preventing free access to the MH17 crash site in Grabove
Russia also intends "to deliver heavier and more powerful
multiple rocket launchers" to pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, the
state department said.
Russia has frequently denied sending any rocket launchers into Ukraine.
The US comment comes a week after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine, with the rebels widely accused of shooting it down.
Multinational efforts to find the cause of the crash is under way, led by the Netherlands which lost 193 of its citizens. All 298 people on board the flight died in the crash.
'Human intelligence'
US says evidence shows Russia fired artillery into Ukraine
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Fighting in eastern Ukraine is preventing free access to the MH17 crash site in Grabove
The US says it has evidence that Russia has fired artillery across the border targeting Ukrainian military positions.
Russia has frequently denied sending any rocket launchers into Ukraine.
The US comment comes a week after Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crashed in eastern Ukraine, with the rebels widely accused of shooting it down.
Multinational efforts to find the cause of the crash is under way, led by the Netherlands which lost 193 of its citizens. All 298 people on board the flight died in the crash.
'Human intelligence'
A total of 114 coffins have now been brought to the Dutch town of Hilversum for forensic examination
Leading rebels in eastern Ukraine have given conflicting accounts of whether they had control of a Buk launcher at the time the plane was downed.
State department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters on Thursday the US had evidence derived from "human intelligence information" showing Russia firing artillery into eastern Ukraine.
She said the US would not provide further details so as not to compromise sources and methods of intelligence collection.
Russian-made, mobile, medium range system
Weapons: Four surface-to-air missiles
Missile speed (max): Mach 3
Target altitude (max): 22,000 metres (72,000ft)
Source: Global Security
It comes as two more planes carrying the remains of some of the passengers and crew of flight MH17 arrived in the Netherlands for forensic identification at a barracks south of the Dutch city of Hilversum.
Difficult access
Dutch investigators have faced difficulties gaining access to
the rebel-controlled crash site in eastern Ukraine, amid continuing
fighting there.
Some OSCE monitors and investigators who did manage to visit
the site say there is a discrepancy in the numbers of bodies counted on
the ground.
With remains still being found one week on, experts warn it could be months before all victims are identified.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has proposed a multinational force to secure the crash site mounted by countries most affected by the disaster, namely Australia, the Netherlands and Malaysia.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her Dutch counterpart, Frans Timmermans, are in Kiev to try to secure agreement from the Ukrainian authorities for a Dutch-led police mission at the crash site.
Meanwhile, UK aviation investigators have managed to successfully extract data from the plane's two black boxes, the Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said on Thursday.
They are looking for voice recordings of the last moments of
the plane's flight, as well as potentially vital information from after
any missile strike, which could yield clues about the impact and effect
of the strike.
Details of further EU sanctions on Russia and Ukraine are expected to come to light on Friday, with talks on stepped-up action - which may include a ban on buying debt or stock issued by Russia's largest banks - also due to continue.
In other developments on Thursday:
Anna Holligan reports from a military airbase in Eindhoven
With remains still being found one week on, experts warn it could be months before all victims are identified.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott has proposed a multinational force to secure the crash site mounted by countries most affected by the disaster, namely Australia, the Netherlands and Malaysia.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and her Dutch counterpart, Frans Timmermans, are in Kiev to try to secure agreement from the Ukrainian authorities for a Dutch-led police mission at the crash site.
Meanwhile, UK aviation investigators have managed to successfully extract data from the plane's two black boxes, the Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, said on Thursday.
The Dutch and Australian foreign ministers hope to form a Dutch-led police mission to secure the crash site
Details of further EU sanctions on Russia and Ukraine are expected to come to light on Friday, with talks on stepped-up action - which may include a ban on buying debt or stock issued by Russia's largest banks - also due to continue.
In other developments on Thursday:
- Ukrainian PM Arseniy Yatsenyuk resigned in protest at the disbanding of the ruling parliamentary coalition, paving the way for new elections. It is not yet clear if his resignation will be accepted by parliament
- CNN says one of its freelance journalists, Anton Skiba, was abducted by armed pro-Russia separatists in Donetsk on Tuesday and has appealed for his release
- Overall rebel military commander Igor Strelkov says in statement he has withdrawn his fighters from the outskirts of Donetsk
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