Russia accused by America of firing rockets over the border into Ukraine

The United States today accused Russia of firing artillery over the border into Ukraine.

The US claimed rockets were being launched from Vladimir Putin’s territory at Ukrainian forces deployed against pro-Russian separatists.

The rising tensions came as about 70 more bodies from the MH17 Malaysia Airlines tragedy were flown to the Netherlands where they were due to be taken under military escort for examination and identification.

US State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf told reporters: “We ... have evidence that Russia is firing artillery from within Russian to attack Ukrainian military positions.”

She also claimed to have intelligence that the Russians intend to deliver heavier and more powerful multiple rocket launchers to the rebel militias in Ukraine.

Amid US claims that Mr Putin was in danger of a “clear escalation” of the conflict, Ukraine also alleged its border areas had been shelled overnight from Russian territory.

Ukrainian forces have raised their flag over the city of Lysychansk, with a 105,000 population, after grabbing it back from rebel control.

But military spokesman Vladyslav Seleznyov said army positions “were shelled twice from the Russian Federation’s territory” at the border town of Marynivka and at Lugansk airport.

“Militants shelled these positions from Grad multiple-launch rocket systems,” he said.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, said Moscow was fanning nationalist sentiments that could spread across Europe.

“If I have a fear about this, it’s that Putin may actually light a fire that he loses control of,” he said. “There’s a rising tide of nationalism in Europe right now that’s been created in many ways by these Russian activities that I find to be quite dangerous.”

Concern remains high in the West over the state of the crash site, where bodies remain eight days after the Boeing 777 was shot down.

“On the site it is still clear that nothing is happening without the approval of the armed rebels who brought the plane down in the first place,” said Australian premier Tony Abbott.

“There has still not been anything like a thorough professional search of the area where the plane went down, and there can’t be while the site is controlled by armed men with vested interest in the outcome of the investigation.”

Ukrainian forces are trying to close in on the rebels, cutting them off from the border with Russia which Kiev believes is the source of arms and reinforcement. Moscow has denied a role in the conflict between pro-Russian separatists and government troops which has left more than 400 people dead and displaced tens of thousands.

All 298 people aboard Flight MH17 were killed when the plane was allegedly shot down by a Russian-supplied Buk missile.