NEW DELHI/KYIV: After months of a military build-up along Ukraine’s border, Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday set the ball rolling for an aggression that could snowball into major crisis for Europe and the world. Here is a timeline of the attack as per Indian time.
7:45 am: UIA flight lands in Delhi with 182 passengers.
8:30 am: Putin announces attack on Donbas and calls on the Ukrainian military to lay down its arms.
9:05 am: International condemnation begins with US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz leading others.
9:16 am: Explosions heard in Mariupol, east Ukraine.
9:30 am: Ukraine announces passenger and staff to evacuate Kyiv airport.
9:45 am: Explosions heard near Kyiv.
10:00 am: Ukraine calls it ‘full-scale invasion’ by Russia. Urges for sanctions against Moscow.
10:15 am: Ukraine shuts down its entire airspace.
10:30 am: Russia says it is not targeting civilians, but only strategic military targets.
11:00 am: Russia suspends flights at domestic airports near Ukraine border till March 2.
11.15 am: East Ukraine comes under intensive shelling.
11.30 am: Troops attack Ukraine from Belarus side.
11.35 am: Martial Law declared in Ukraine.
11:45 am: Poland says it expects NATO reinforcement.
11:50 am: Russia claims it has degraded Ukraine’s air defence.
12:18 pm: Separatists claim capture of Ukrainian towns of Shchastia and Stanytsia Luhanska in Ukraine’s region of Luhansk.
12:30 pm: Recalls midair Air India flight lands in Delhi. This when Ukraine issues statement to have shot down Russian planes.
12:45 pm: Russian arsenal enter Ukraine via Crimea. Ukraine claims 8 killed in Russian shelling, as border guards confirm Russian columns have entered Ukraine.
2:00 pm: Security footage shows Russian military vehicles crossing into Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea.
2:25 pm: Kyiv says anyone who can hold a weapon can join territorial defence forces.
2:30 pm: Sirens are heard around towns in Ukraine as people are seen running, students in Ternopil Medical University, Ukraine said. At the same time, Mariupol mayor says three ‘peaceful people’ killed in village near airport.
3:45 pm: 40 Ukrainian soldiers killed, says President Volodymyr Zelensky’s office. 50 Russian soldiers and 18 civilians in Ukraine’s Odessa were killed in a missile attack.
