Citizens of Kiev, the nation's capital, have reportedly been emptying ATMs of cash and taking refuge wherever they can, while others are desperately trying to flee the area via car, only to discover that there is not enough fuel available for everyone.
Failure to prepare with a larger stockpile of petrol has forced the Ukrainian government to ration what little fuel remains, resulting in long lines and lots of panic.
The rideshare service Uber is reportedly down across nine cities, though it is still live in Bolt and Uklon, which are nearer to the war, to help people in those areas escape to safety.
Panic buying commenced on Thursday after Russian forces started dropping bombs as part of an overnight invasion. Banks, supply shops and gas stations started to run bare as locals learned about the situation.
Traffic also quickly became gridlocked on the main roads out of Kiev despite calls from the government for people to stay at home. Some were able to make it safely across the border into Poland while others are still waiting for their escape.
Watch the Situation Update below to learn about what happened in the days leading up to the invasion with Russia's recognition of the breakaway republics of Ukraine:
This video is from channel Health Ranger Report on Brighteon.com.
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Many of Ukraine's city centers are now a ghost town after the government imposed martial law. Vehicles could be seen whizzing past military convoys on their way out of these areas, and some citizens were seen taking up arms themselves.
Vladimir Putin, who is calling this a "special military operation," has warned other countries like the United States not to interfere. He threatened "consequences you have never seen" for those who try.
Concerning the fuel situation in Ukraine, authorities said that petrol and diesel must be prioritized for civil and military forces, as well as critical infrastructure services.
This is why Uber and other taxi services have had to shut down operations, we are told, issuing the following statement to Interfax-Ukraine:
"Due to growing geopolitical tensions and recent events, we have decided to temporarily suspend the program. The security of all application users is our top priority. We continue to monitor the circumstances and hope that this is a temporary situation."
Food and other goods are also now being stretched thin as unprepared and scared Ukrainians rushed out to buy food and withdraw money. Whatever goods remain are being snapped up quickly, and there will likely not be enough for everyone.
"Buyers flocked to grab goods while they still can in Kiev, Lviv and Mariupol as Russian forces loomed in the east of the country," the DailyMail Online reported.
"Hundreds stood outside the facilities as they waited to empty them of stock with some embracing each other as they ready themselves for the enclosing conflict."
This tragic situation highlights the importance of not just citizens stocking up and being prepared for emergencies, but also governments doing the same. The Russia conflict has been simmering for quite some time now, so preparing for it would seem to have been pertinent.
"Everybody thought western Ukraine was safe because it was close to the EU and NATO nations," said 44-year-old Maria Palys to the media about how much of the country was, in fact, taken off guard by the invasion.
"It seems like it is not the right protection."
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