Fear of sleeping is widespread among Ukrainians living under Russian bombs.

• Following Putin's decision to invade Ukraine, which has a population of 44 million, Russian bombs and missiles have fallen on various regions of the country.
• Russian reconnaissance troops were close to Kyiv's city center by Friday evening, according to Ukraine's defense ministry.
• The report stated that Kyiv was still being hit with cruise or ballistic missiles.
• People in the city are taking refuge in basements, parking lots, and the metro system for protection.

For the second day in a row, Natasha Suslenko had to move into her building's basement parking garage for safety due to Russian attack warnings in her hometown of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital, where she woke up at 4:30 a.m. to the sound of air raid sirens and bombs.

Suslenko told CNBC from Kyiv that we quickly put on our clothes and took our child to the parking garage. Due to the cold winter weather, family members occasionally return to their apartments to take naps when they feel safe. Thousands of others are now using the Kyiv metro as a massive bomb shelter.

As Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Thursday, Suslenko ensured to secure all her family's crucial documents.

"We decided to stay in town because we have a small child, one year old. It's difficult," she said. More than 100,000 people have fled Kyiv so far, with outward road traffic backed up for miles due to "so many, many cars, like zombie movies," she said.

Russian reconnaissance troops were close to Kyiv's city center by Friday evening, and Ukraine's defense ministry reported that strikes on Kyiv with cruise or ballistic missiles persisted.

Russian forces have attacked most of Ukraine's airports, resulting in the complete halt of passenger flights over Ukrainian airspace. Videos of Ukrainian airbases and civilian areas hit by Russian missiles and bombs are being widely shared on social media, though specific reports from the country are difficult to confirm.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin had been warned by Western leaders for months about the consequences of his troop buildup along Ukraine's border. Despite their warnings, Putin rejected their allegations and scoffed at their concerns. However, on Thursday morning, he made a fiery case for a "special military operation" to "demilitarize" Ukraine. As a result, at least 200 Ukrainians, both civilian and military, have been killed, while Ukrainian forces have pushed back against Russian troops who have also sustained casualties in the hundreds.

‘I feel helpless’

In Cyprus, Natasha Suslenko's husband Andrii anxiously checks his phone, as he left Ukraine just days before on a work trip and is now stuck, with no way of getting back home.

He is worried about his parents in Kyiv, who are with his wife, while he is unable to help them due to the emotional and desperate situation in Ukraine.

Russia's sudden invasion left my family devastated, with my 65-year-old parents in shock and disbelief, as my mother had been in denial for months, refusing to accept the possibility of the invasion.

The world was stunned by the news, which followed prolonged NATO-Russia negotiations over security demands, including Putin's demand to prevent Ukraine from joining the 30-member alliance and to revert the group to its 1997 parameters, which NATO leaders deemed unacceptable.

Putin's demands were made with the intention of justifying an invasion, as some analysts believe. Despite his government's recognition of two Russian-backed breakaway territories in eastern Ukraine, Putin has long held that Ukraine, an independent democracy for 30 years, belongs to Russia. He also opposes Ukraine's westward turn towards the EU and NATO.

‘We are holding on’

In Mariupol, a city in eastern Ukraine just 30 miles from the Russian border, Olga Pereverzeva stays in her entrance hallway, the safest spot in her home as it has no windows. "I'll likely sleep here because it's risky to be near windows," she stated.

All of Ukraine is under attack, leaving no place to escape.

She has been hearing about bombing in the city for the past two days, and many people have fled, but most are staying put. As of Friday evening, residents of Kyiv who spoke to CNBC still have access to water, electricity, and gas. According to her, the people of Kyiv are holding on and maintaining hope in their army, which she considers heroes.

Despite being outnumbered, Ukraine's military has successfully defended against Russian attempts to seize land and airports, and has destroyed numerous Russian aircraft and helicopters, according to the Defense Ministry's report on Friday.

Pereverzeva stated, "However, we would appreciate additional assistance from the global community."

Liza Borysova, a Kyiv native, has made a pact with her best friend to check in with one another during an air attack warning, which is frequently disseminated via official and unofficial Telegram channels.

During bomb warnings, people are terrified of sleeping because they fear they won't make it to the bunkers or pack their belongings fast enough.

On its own against Russia

NATO leaders have stated that they will not deploy their troops to aid Ukraine because it is not a member of the alliance. Consequently, aside from weapons and financial assistance, Ukraine must rely on its own resources.

New sanctions on Russia announced by the U.S. and Europe have not been as harsh as expected and will not stop Putin, according to Ukrainians and analysts. Russian markets rallied on Friday, indicating local relief that the Western punishments were not as severe as feared.

Andrii Suslenko stated that Ukraine is losing trust in its Western partners and needs more weapons, funding, and sanctions against Russia, including severing Russia from the global SWIFT payments system. He emphasized the need for more action and expressed disappointment with the limited resources available.

The government is urging civilians to take up arms and form "territorial defense units" as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that anyone who wants to defend the state will be given a firearm. As a result, more than 10,000 people have signed up for the defense units, according to Suslenko.

"It's amazing to see how ready they are to defend the city," he said.

The Ukrainian nation is characterized by their volunteering and support, as we have witnessed in the past 30 years.

The Ukrainian government declared on Thursday that all men aged 18 to 60 are prohibited from leaving the country and must remain to fight. Social media has been inundated with heart-wrenching videos of distraught spouses, parents, and other loved ones saying their goodbyes due to the new conscription law.

Despite the shock of Russian advances, Ukrainian forces have shown remarkable resilience in holding their ground. However, there is a possibility that the situation could deteriorate further, resulting in increased casualties and prolonged conflict. Despite this, Ukrainians remain steadfast in their determination to resist.

Our army continues to resist the Russian attack on Kyiv from four directions, as Natasha Suslenko stated.