The US released a series of photograph it says supports accusations that Russian forces fired across the border into Ukraine.  If it’s true, the Russians have moved from supporting the rebels in the east to direct involvement in fighting against Kiev.

The grainy, black-and-white overhead images show artillery and rocket-blast signatures inside Russia and craters formed by the artillery strikes in Ukraine.  They were first released by an anonymous senior intelligence official and then redistributed by the US State Department.  Officials say they were taken in the past eleven days, although it’s not clear when the artillery strikes occurred.

Washington has accused Russia of arming, training and financing separatists in Ukraine, accusation that Moscow denies.