Joshua McElwee wrote : "In 2008, Russian troops crossed the northern border of Georgia". 

However, this version of the events has been called into question. 

In their November 6, 2008 New York Times article entitled "Georgia Claims on Russia War Called Into Question", C. J. Chivers and Ellen Barry wrote : "Newly available accounts by independent military observers of the beginning of the war between Georgia and Russia this summer call into question the longstanding Georgian assertion that it was acting defensively against separatist and Russian aggression".