One woman in Ukraine says invading Russian forces are openly targeting civilians.
It comes as Russian troops advance on the capital, with the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko saying Friday night will be "very difficult" for Kyiv.
A number of blasts close to a power station were heard in quick succession.
Mr Klitschko said the "situation now - without exaggeration - is threatening".
With Russian troops nearing, bridges in the city have been taken under special control - while checkpoints are being installed at strategic sites.
"The night, close to the morning, will be very difficult," Mr Klitschko added.
Nadia Dobrianska is in the countryside, having moved from the outskirts of Kyiv earlier.
She told The Hard Shoulder she was woken by a massive explosion.
"It's been dreadful - I moved to another place from where I was last night.
"I'm in a place far with my family away from Kyiv, and last night I spent in the countryside - in the outskirts of Kyiv.
"We left because we were anticipating the ballistic missiles in Kyiv, which went to 3.00am.
"There was a warning and I was staying up - me and my family were woken up by a massive explosion at 4.30.
"It turned out it was a Russia plane that was downed by the Ukrainian army, thank God".
'It's a war crime'
She says nowhere seems safe in the country.
"I'm in a safe spot now, but I saw two airplanes flying past my windows two hours ago.
"There were two of them, so I suspect those were Ukrainian ones - I just don't see why Russian planes would be flying over here, unless they were bombarding the place.
"There's no safe spot in Ukraine now, because ballistic missiles are reaching any city.
"Unless we have clear skies by NATO, there's nowhere safe".
Táim slán sábháilte i bhfad ó mo chathair grámhar. Bríseann sé mo chroí bheith scartha ón baile. Buíochas le Arm na hÚcráin as bheith ar ár gcosaint 🙏
— Nadia Dobrianska (@NadiaDobryanska) February 25, 2022
And Nadia says Russia is deliberately targeting civilians.
"They are targeting civilians on purpose.
"They shelled an orphanage in Volzel, which is a wee town outside Kyiv. And there were 50 children in that orphanage - it's a war crime.
"Where I am it was a civilian place, there were no military objects that could have been targeted.
"But I knew that Russia would start targeting civilians openly, and that's what they're doing today, and it's going to be worse."
And she says her family and friends have no plans to leave.
"If I were on my own I would have been out in the country, honest to God.
"But my family doesn't want to leave and nobody who I know plans to leave."
She adds: "Trust me - people are getting ready to resist, and the Russians have no idea".
