Japan says Russian helicopter violated airspace, scrambles fighter jet

March 2 (UPI) -- Japan scrambled a fighter jet on Wednesday in response to what appeared to be a Russian helicopter entering its airspace, the country's military said, amid heightened tensions over the crisis in Ukraine.

The helicopter crossed into Japanese airspace over waters off of the northern island of Hokkaido at 10:43 a.m., the defense ministry said in a brief statement. Japan issued warnings and sent an Air Self-Defense Force fighter to respond to the incursion, the ministry said.

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