Russian troops invade Kherson Oblast, Ukrainians declare right to fight back
Several Russian military helicopters landed on March 15 in southern Kherson Oblast near Kremlin-occupied Crimea, bringing dozens of commandoes and seizing a natural gas plant.
The moves heightened tension on the eve of a Crimean referendum, which Ukraine and the West consider illegal. Russian troops unexpectedly invaded the Crimean peninsula on February 27 and in the following days Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he might order the use of military forces in Ukraine.
Four helicopters landed near Strilkove village on the north of Arabat Spit, narrow piece of land on the south of Kherson region, bringing 60 commandos, the State Border Service reported. “The border guards together with soldiers (about 20 people) had to move back from the crossroad leading to Henichesk (city nearby) and had to take up defense,” it said in the report.
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(Map of Crimea. Source: UN Cartographic Section, DFS)
