Kyiv woke to the sounds of a cruise missile strike Thursday morning (local time) - a Kiwi journalist amongst them.
Tom Mutch, a photojournalist living in Kyiv, told 1News the strike came after a quiet night.
"We were woken up at around 6am by the sounds of a cruise missile strike hitting military installations.
There is widespread fighting across the country and more pleas from the global community for Russia to halt its attack. (Source: 1News)
"Ever since then it's been go, go, go. There's been a lot of people lining up to get cash out, lining up to get supplies."
READ MORE: 'NZ calls on Russia to do what is right' - Jacinda Ardern
Mutch said people are scared for their homes and families, but there's still a sense of somewhat calm.
"People are not panicking, there's no fighting, or looting, or rioting."
Kyiv residents told Mutch they're used to living with the threat of war and knew this day would come.
But leaving Kyiv right now is proving to be a challenge.
"There are no flights going in and out of Kyiv, the airspace is completely dominated by the Russian Air Force," Mutch said.
"Even the road rail links, they're quite nearby to zones that's active conflict now, so people don't think its necessarily safe to leave".
READ MORE: 1News' live updates of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
For Mutch, he's taking it one hour at a time.
"I'll see what happens overnight… and then I'll reassess my options."
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