‘Where would I hide the children?’ Ukranians flee homes as Russia attacks port city Mariupol

Locals voices fears as Putin orders bombardment following weeks of troop build up on border

A terrified Ukrainian mother asked “where will I hide the children” after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour early on Thursday morning, with explosions heard in several locations across the country.

Families fled their homes in the city of Mariupol fearing for their lives as Moscow launched attacks on the city and several others, including capital Kiev, where reports say a military base was hit.

There were reports of explosions and rocket attacks on Mariupol, an Azov Sea port city, which was feared to be a major target because of its strategic importance and valuable heavy industry.

“There will be panic. Where would I hide the children?,” the unnamed mother said when she was informed that martial law had been declared. “There are no shelters, there are nothing. It’s an open space, where will I go?”

Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, ordered more troops over the border after announcing what he described as a “special military operation” shortly before 6am local time.

In a televised address to the nation, Mr Putin issued a warning to the west, saying countries who attempted to intervene would face  “consequences that you have never experienced in your history”.

Explosions have been heard in at least five other areas outside Kiev, including Kramatorsk, Odess, Kharkhov and Berdyansk and it is widely expected that gun fighting will break out after Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukraine president, urged his citizens to take up arms.

infographic shows the countries least and most dependent on Russian natural gas (Statista/The Independent)

Queues formed on motorways and people boarded buses as Ukrainians attempted to flee the impending chaos.

Stocks around the world tumbled and the price of oil and other commodities rose as markets were spooked by fears of disruption to global supply chains.

In Mariupol, some people waited at bus stops, seemingly on their way to work, while others rushed to their cars to leave the city that is less than 10 miles from Donetsk People's Republic, one of two separatist-held areas recognised by Mr Putin as independent this week in a prelude to the invasion.

“I’m alone at work. Where will I run? Where do I go, tell me please? My God,” another desperate woman said as she wept in the footage.

“We have to leave our houses, what’s going on?” a third said as Ukrainian forces escorted her away from a housing complex.

Earlier Mr  Zelensky told the nation “we are defending our country, we fight for our country and we protect our country” after Russia launched an all-out invasion of Ukraine by land, air and sea.

In an address to the country following the attack ordered by Vladimir Putin, the Ukrainian leader asked every fit military aged man to join the defence of the country, and said they would be armed.

A woman cries after crossing the border and fleeing the violence in Ukraine, in Medyka, Poland, 24 February 2022 (REUTERS)

Mr Zelensky said the enemy had suffered “serious losses”.

Separately, an adviser to the president said about 40 people have been killed so far in Russian attack on the country.

World leaders have condemned the move by Russia and a G7 call has been scheduled for this afternoon, at which countries including the US, the UK and Europe are expected to announce another trance of sanctions.

Boris Johnson, the UK prime minister, described the military action as a “catastrophe for our continent.”

“I will make an address to the nation this morning on the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” he said.

“I will also speak to fellow G7 leaders and I am calling for an urgent meeting of all NATO leaders as soon as possible.”