Satellite images demonstrate that Ukraine is hit by pro-Russian troops across the border

The US Ambassador in Ukraine has released satellite images that prove Russia is firing rockets at Ukrainian troops across the border.

The US State Department has released a collection of satellite images, via the ambassador in Ukraine Geoffrey Pyatt,  that demonstrate that the Russian Army is firing rockets against Ukrainian troops located across the border. The images indicate fire from multiple rocket launchers locates “on the Russian side of the border”. The document was prepared by the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI), it includes the slides that reports what US officials claim to be “ground scarring at a multiple rocket launch site on the Russian side of the border oriented in the direction of Ukrainian military units within Ukraine.”

The US State Department hasn’t released an official statement for the satellite images, it is just inviting its follower to follow the ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt to receive updates on the situation, anyway actually he has just shared the images on his Twitter account without providing further information.

The satellite images, all dating between July 21 and July 25/26, were sent via email in a four-page document titled “Evidence of Russian Shelling into Ukraine“, they confirm Washington’s suspects that the Russian Government is building up troops close to the border and is using them “firing of Russian heavy weapons from the Russian side of the border at Ukrainian military personnel.”

The satellite images were taken after the crash of the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, intelligence experts consider the the evidence of the transportation of heavy artillery from Russia to areas controlled by pro-Russian separatist forces.

The images were spread by the US ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyattm via Twitter, they are considered evidence of the military operation conducted in the area near the border between the states. A slide dated July 23th is said to show self-propelled artillery “oriented in the direction of a Ukrainian military unit within Ukraine.” It said that “the pattern of crater impacts near the Ukrainian military unit indicates strikes from artillery” fired from self-propelled or towed artillery, vice multiple rocket launchers “only found in Russian military units, on the Russian side of the border.”

 

The image dated July 21this said to be illustrating a “wide area of impacts near the Ukrainian military” that “indicates fire from multiple rocket launchers.” “The bottom impact crater inset shows impacts within a local village,” DNI claimed.

Russia’s Defense Ministry has recently confirmed that international inspectors, which include representatives from the US, NATO and Ukraine, who have visited the area haven’t discovered violations made by Moscow’s troops along the Ukrainian borders.

“It has come to our attention that new allegations by top US officials as to the alleged amassing of Russian troops along the Ukrainian border have been voiced,” “No instances of violations by Russia along the Ukrainian border had been registered by the inspectors,” the ministry said. “Frequent action by the Ukrainian military taking place on the Russian border has hindered our own ability to perform similar inspections and flybys along our border,” the Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

What’s new on the investigation on the MH17 flight?

According to the NYPost pro-Russian rebels are altering MH17 crash site

“British security officials say they have “credible information” that pro-Russian rebels tampered with the crash scene of Malaysian Flight 17 — planting parts from other aircraft at the site in an attempt to foil investigators and push blame for the disaster on Ukrainian forces.” states the journal.“There is evidence starting to emerge of attempts at tampering with the crash scene, moving bodies and black boxes,” one official said, according to The Times of London.“The official added that rebels interfered with the wreckage in order to strengthen the crash narrative concocted by Russian officials and press, which suggests the Boeing 777 was attacked by a Ukrainian SU-25 fighter that was later shot down by separatists.”

Stay tuned for further information.

Pierluigi Paganini

Security Affairs –  (Ukraine, Russian, MH17)