In Syria Turkey set up observation points in Idlib area when the SAA and their Russian ally moved in there, slowing the offense down. Maybe similar could have worked. Or maybe it would have been considered as escalation. But then again, would Putin push the red button? It's a game of will, who blinks first. Right now NATO blinking rapidly.
Reinforcing eastern NATO allies also can be considered escalation. And then if Putin succeeds - depending on what this means Russia can find itself bordering NATO countries: Poland, Northern Hungary, Hungary, Romania (besides the Baltic ones).
I'm hearing that Russian cyber attacks against Ukraine could trigger Article 5 if indirectly effecting NATO countries.
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That's the Ukrainian narration on the event. We don't know about casualties or anything.
Troops were transported there with helicopters, they might failed to take the airport, but that was their direct objective even for those hours? Maybe they were put there, ofc attacks were made - probing defences, reconnaissance by force -, and they waited for more transports to come in and support.