2014-07-26 08:57:00

Russia accuses US of smear campaign


(Vatican Radio) Russia has accused the United States of waging a "smear campaign" over its alleged involvement in the conflict in eastern Ukraine, while the European Union announced new sanctions on Russia. Russia's Foreign Ministry said it rejected American suggestions that Russian troops are firing artillery from within Russia on Ukrainian military across the border. American defence officials also suggested that Moscow is supplying the pro-Russian rebels with equipment such as even heavier rocket launchers.

The Russian ministry said in a statement that the U.S administration has now begun "a smear campaign against Russia" and that it rejected what it called "unfounded public insinuations" that deputy State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf is allegedly spreading on a daily basis. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos: 

MORE SANCTIONS

Those remarks did little to ease tensions with the European Union announcing further sanctions on Russia over its alleged involvement in fighting between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine. Among the 15 new people subjected to an EU-wide asset freeze and travel ban were several intelligence officials and other leaders.  

The sanctions come while a Netherlands-led global team of experts, backed by international police, investigate the area where pro-Russian rebels allegedly shot down the Malaysian Airlines plane killing all 298 people on board including 194 Dutch nationals. Most victims have now arrived in the Netherlands for identification. The conflict has been complicated by the sudden resignation of Ukrainian Prime Minister Arsenyi Yatsenyuk's sudden resignation over Parliament's failure to adopt legislation such as more money to fund the war. "The majority of Ukrainians are asking for snap parliamentary elections. This could be a decision in between, I would say, for example, to have snap parliamentary elections after we impose peace and stability in the east of Ukraine,” he told Euronews television. 

A vote of confidence in the government is expected to be held next week.        








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