'The war begins'? Ukrainian military reportedly 'repelled' Russian forces from entering

Sarah D. | 11:08 AM on March 15, 2014

We certainly hope so.

Reuters and other outlets are reporting that, according to Ukraine’s defense minister, Russian troops are attempting to make their way into an area of land near Crimea.

Whoa: RT @jimsciutto: Breaking via @Reuters: Ukrainian forces repel #Russia forces attempting to enter E. #Ukraine outside #Crimea

— Sunny McSunnyface (@sunnyright) March 15, 2014

Ukraine's military scrambled aircraft and paratroops to repel an attempt by Russian forces to enter Ukraine http://t.co/0gwSyY9RrQ

— Katrina Jørgensen (@Veribatim) March 15, 2014

Brief Reuters story on Ukrainian defence ministry statement saying it repelled Russian incursion north of Crimea http://t.co/rXXlQA7Wst

— Peter Spiegel (@SpiegelPeter) March 15, 2014

#Ukraine says it used aircraft & ground forces to repel Russian paratroopers who landed in Kherson region http://t.co/OlpOAOBPbe

— Andrew Stroehlein (@astroehlein) March 15, 2014

From The Globe and Mail:

“Units of Ukraine’s armed forces today … repelled an attempt by servicemen of the armed forces of the Russian Federation to enter the territory of Kherson region on Arbatskaya Strelka,” a statement from the Defense Ministry said. “This was repelled immediately.”

It said the Ukrainian military used aircraft, ground forces and its aeromobile battalion in the operation. It was unclear whether any shots were fired.

Defense Ministry spox told me Russian troops returned to their positions when Ukrainian military called for reinforcement in #Kherson region

— Myroslava Petsa (@myroslavapetsa) March 15, 2014