An exodus appears to be underway in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv after Russian forces bombarded the country Thursday. Traffic data and videos circulating on social media platforms seem to confirm people are fleeing the city as full-scale invasion fears soar. 

Location tracking company TomTom reports three highways out of Kyiv are experiencing “major delays” as President Vladimir Putin unleashed a barrage of missiles, artillery, and airstrikes across the country, triggering one of the worst security crises in Europe in more than half a century. 

TomTom shows that traffic data in Kyiv has been rising since Monday and could explain people have been fleeing the metro area since Monday (only now it’s a mass panic). 

Confirming TomTom’s data is an abundance of videos and pictures posted on Twitter. The first video was sent to Bussiness Insider from Ukrainian MP Ivanna Klympush showing “thousands of cars” leaving the city after “explosions.” 

📽️ Ukrainian MP @IKlympush sent Insider’s @billbostockUK this video from her drive into Kyiv Thursday morning, as thousands of cars headed in the opposite direction after explosions in the city. pic.twitter.com/Nx9spEd2Qf

— Insider News (@InsiderNews) February 24, 2022

German outlet DW News shares multiple videos of gridlocked highways around Kyiv. 

Hours after Russian troops launched an attack on Ukraine, long lines of traffic could be seen on a road leading out of the capital Kyiv. pic.twitter.com/elNyh4hNFF

— DW News (@dwnews) February 24, 2022

More videos were posted online of the traffic situation on the ground. 

🔴: In #Kyiv, #traffic jams are building up as people attempt to flee following explosions in the area earlier this morning 🇺🇦

Our reporter on the ground @cloviscasali sent us this video ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/OgLymyoVPV

— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) February 24, 2022

Wide shot of traffic in Kyiv (Pierre Crom/Getty) pic.twitter.com/0h9D4uUsce

— Jake Lahut (@JakeLahut) February 24, 2022

Traffic jams for miles as people head West out of #Kyiv. Many have their family, pets and belongings with them and emotional conversations on all uncertainty for what will the future hold. #Ukraine pic.twitter.com/avV40NeYLj

— Michael Downey (@mgdowney) February 24, 2022

Making matters worse for anyone trying to leave Kyiv, the government restricted civilian flights in its airspace due to “potential hazard.” Anyone who was planning to leave the area appears stuck. 

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s national security council introduced a state of emergency to ensure calm remains – though that doesn’t appear to be the case today.