When Chinese medical student Jinjin received an update on her smartphone on Wednesday about a state of emergency in Ukraine, she joked with her classmates, doubting that Russia would really attack.

By Wednesday night, however, her classmates started fleeing the city. Some packed up and left for Turkey, others fled by car and just a few stayed in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

The 22-year-old student also fled to the countryside that night with her father, a businessman in the city, she told the South China Morning Post.

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"All the cars on the road were heading out [of the city]," she said.

On Thursday, she and her father went to a supermarket to stock up on food and water and by 7am, there were already long queues at ATMs and petrol stations.

Her few friends who chose to stay behind said they would not venture outdoors. Some Chinese friends and acquaintances in her online chat groups seemed anxious and panicked, sharing pictures and news of the attack.

According to the Chinese embassy in Kyiv, there are about 6,000 Chinese citizens in the country, including students, migrants and staff at Chinese companies. Most live in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odessa and Sumy.

Eddie Wu, who has been in Kyiv for about six months running an online business, was one of the few who stayed in the capital.

Ukraine says Russian troops have entered Kyiv

He said on Friday he heard two blasts before daybreak and had already registered for evacuation on the Chinese embassy's website.

The embassy said Chinese citizens and companies were at high risk as the situation deteriorated and it would arrange chartered flights out of the city. But it did not announce a schedule.

Wu said he previously felt safe in Kyiv and expected life would go on as normal, except there were fewer cars and pedestrians on the streets. He has, however, stocked up supplies and planned to stay home.

He telephoned the Chinese embassy for advice on Thursday and was told to stay safe and indoors, and if he must go out, he should put Chinese flags on his car windows.

On Friday, a new notice on the embassy's website warned that Chinese citizens should strictly follow the government curfew, get to know the nearest shelters and not wear uniforms or camouflage in public.

Some Chinese living in various cities across Ukraine have also taken to live Chinese streaming services, including Kuaishou and Douyin, showing empty supermarket shelves and missiles flying overhead. Most said they would stay in the basements of their buildings and shelters.