Rhodes: New intelligence indicates Russian responsibility for downed plane

The United States accused Russia on Monday of creating the conditions for the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, and said the Kremlin was continuing to send weapons and vehicles to militants in Ukraine.

The Obama administration offered new intelligence indicating the Malaysian jetliner was likely shot down by a SA-11 surface-to-air missile that came from territory in Ukraine held by Russian-backed militants fighting Kiev’s U.S.-backed government.

{mosads}The new intelligence did not include evidence of direct Russian involvement, and officials have concluded that the pro-Russian separatists most likely shot down the plane by mistake.

But the overall message from the administration was that Russia was at least partly to blame for the incident that left 298 people dead, and that it should be punished.