Ukrainians are shocked and horrified by what is happening to them. Sirens are heard in Kiev, and people are fleeing the city. Images appeared with huge columns of cars blocking the highway at the exit from Kiev. Meanwhile, others have taken refuge in subway stations or are kneeling on the streets.
Several people from Kiev rushed to the underground subway stations to take shelter. Others boarded buses to leave the city.
On social media, people send messages saying that they are panicking and that they are trying to get to anti-aircraft shelters and basements as soon as possible. Reporters filmed groups of people praying on the street, kneeling.
In addition to panic, Ukrainians are creating videos with the slogan "My Home. My Ukraine." These videos are profound and painful. People want peace and a future for their children. Ukraine is truly a beautiful country, with many places where nature fills your soul, and the picturesque views are breathtaking. A country full of traditions, color and greenery. Ukraine is the home of its nation, and at this time, many will lose their homes as a result of the bombings, people are forced to leave their homes, to flee their country.
My home. My Ukraine
The first bombings took place just after 5 o'clock in the morning.
Residents of Kiev were told to stay in their homes and prepare a bag with the essentials in case they should leave urgently.
In the city, red arrows have been drawn on several walls indicating the locations of the nearest anti-aircraft shelters. These insignia have existed since 2014, and now they have been marked once again with intense color, so that they can be easily observed.
At 6:18 a.m., two hours before the start of the school day, the parents of the children attending the Ivan Franko school in central Kiev received a message to keep the children at home and that the classes would be held online.
Residents of Ukraine's capital, Kiev, woke up to explosions and sirens on Thursday morning, and the city panicked: many tried to seek shelter, while others fled the town. Even after weeks of warnings from Ukrainian and Western leaders that a Russian attack was imminent, some Kiev residents were caught unprepared.
Many people rushed to anti-aircraft shelters or subway stations to take shelter. Others sat in long queues at banks, supermarkets, or gas stations. Some fled west by car.
"I didn't expect that. I didn't think anything would happen until this morning," said Nikita, a 34-year-old marketer as she waited in a long line at a bottle stack. of water in the shopping cart. "I am a healthy adult. I packed my bags, bought food and stayed home with my family," he said.
Other residents were determined to move to western Ukraine, which they considered relatively safe. During the morning, traffic was blocked on the four lanes of the main road to the western city of Lviv. The cars were parked side by side for tens of kilometers, according to witnesses quoted by Reuters.
Among those who tried to leave is 31-year-old Alex Svitelskyi, who says he wants to take his parents out of town. He is also worried about his sister: "I want her away from here."
The effects of the attacks were immediately apparent in Ukraine. In addition to the affected buildings in various cities, in the capital Kiev people did their best to leave. Queues formed at ATMs, supermarkets and gas stations, while thousands of cars crowded out of town. An extremely affected area was also near Kharkov, in the city of Chiuhiv, where a blockade was devastated by a Russian rocket.
"Fighting is taking place in almost the entire territory of Ukraine. So far, 203 Russian military attacks have been reported," the Ukrainian National Police said.
Armored columns are now heading for Kiev after fighting took place at the Hostomel air base on the northern outskirts of the Ukrainian capital.
Ukrainian citizens have begun withdrawing money from ATMs and stockpiling supplies. According to their testimonies, the internet networks have already started to be affected.
People explained that the authorities asked the people not to leave the houses and, if necessary, to take shelter in the basements. "There was a real panic and people started to leave Kiev. They bought products, withdrew money from ATMs. City officials are trying to stop the panic by asking people to stay indoors and, if necessary, go down to basements or bomb shelters. The sirens sounded in the streets several times. There are constant explosions and fires. "
In Lutsk, the fire station was damaged, no one was injured. One person was injured when the airport was bombed. An "air raid" was reported in Poltava. Fire in the military depots in the village. Raduşinţi (Poltava region). At Khmelnitsky, a shell hit the runway of a military airfield. In Nijin, six people woke up under the rubble of the airfield, they are working for their release.
