The US believes that Russia gave sophisticated Buk missile launchers to Ukrainian rebels and attempts were made by Russian military to move them back into the country after the downing of a Malaysian passenger jet, American media reported today.
"We do believe they were trying to move back into Russia at least three Buk [missile launch] systems," the Washington Post quoted a US official as saying, three days after Flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board.
US intelligence was "starting to get indications ..... A little more than a week ago," that the Russian launchers had been moved into Ukraine, the official said as the blame game continued with Russia accusing the US and the West of pointing fingers at it to push their agenda on Ukraine.
The US official's comments, made on condition of anonymity to speak about intelligence matters, came as a top Ukrainian counterintelligence official said his service has conclusive proof that Russia supplied the missile that shot down the plane over territory controlled by the separatists, the report said.
Ukraine and Western officials have alleged that Russia is providing support and equipment to the rebels.
Russia has denied that it has sent weapons to the rebels.
But Vitaly Nayda, counterintelligence chief of Ukraine's security service, offered photographs and said Ukraine has evidence of the movement of three Buk M-1 antiaircraft missile systems from rebel-held territory into Russian territory early Friday, less than 12 hours after the plane was downed.
Ukrainian officials have said that a missile from a Buk M-1 launcher was used to shoot down the aircraft.
Two of the antiaircraft systems were spotted entering Russia from Ukraine at 2 am on Friday, he said. One had its full complement of four missiles, but the other was missing a missile, he said. Two hours later, he said, a convoy of three vehicles that included one of the launchers and a control truck crossed into Russia.
The US official said they could not confirm the exact time cited by the Ukrainians, the report said.
Nayda said that Ukrainian military services had not left any operational Buk M-1 launchers in territory where the rebels could have seized them when they took over bases and territory in eastern Ukraine this year.
He suggested they must have come from Russia and said Ukraine has evidence that at least one launcher system was on its territory on Monday.
The rebels have denied possessing the launchers, although social media files linked to a rebel leader, Igor Girkin, appeared to boast of having the systems. The claims were deleted this week after the plane was shot down, the report said.
