Russia has accused the US of direct involvement in the war in Ukraine for the first time. A spokesperson for Moscow’s defense ministry alleged the US was approving targets for American-made Himars artillery used by Kyiv’s forces.

According to the BBC, Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov said intercepted calls between Ukrainian officials revealed the link. The BBC could not independently verify this. Russia previously accused Washington of fighting a “proxy war” in Ukraine.

A spokesperson for the Pentagon said it provided the Ukrainians with “detailed, time-sensitive information to help them understand the threats they face and defend their country against Russian aggression”.

Himars is a multiple rocket system which can launch precision-guided missiles at targets as far as 70km (45 miles) away – far further than the artillery that Ukraine previously had. They are also believed to be more accurate than their Russian equivalents.

Mr. Konashenkov said: “It is the Biden administration that is directly responsible for all rocket attacks approved by Kyiv on residential areas and civilian infrastructure facilities in settlements of Donbas and other regions that caused mass deaths of civilians.” In April, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said US President Joe Biden’s decision to supply Ukraine with billions of dollars worth of arms meant “Nato, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy”.