Russia says Washington disseminating 'unfounded' accusation over Ukraine

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia said on Friday the United States was trying to influence international opinion through unfounded insinuations and anti-Russian rhetoric over the crisis in Ukraine. "We deny the unfounded public insinuations that State Department Spokeswoman M. Harf repeats day after day," Russia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday. "In journalistic briefings in previous days she has produced anti-Russian clichés that Washington stubbornly tries to impose on international opinion," the statement said. Harf said at a briefing on Thursday that Russia was firing artillery across the border into Ukraine to target Ukrainian military positions in the conflict against pro-Russian separatists. (Reporting by Thomas Grove, Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel)