Russian President Vladimir Putin is drawing international condemnation after he announced in a televised address that he's unleashed an attack on Ukraine.
The head of NATO has convened a meeting of NATO ambassadors to assess the consequences of Russia's unprovoked attack.
Members of the local Ukrainian community are watching and worrying as tensions with Russia and Ukraine continue to escalate.
Canada is home to more than a million people of Ukrainian descent with many calling Windsor-Essex home.
Carol Guimond is the president of the Windsor branch of the Ukrainian National Federation.
She says everyone knew a Russian invasion was imminent.
"Everyone could attest to the fact it's horrifying, it's very appalling, but it's something we expected. We've just been waiting for the shoe to drop the last couple of weeks. We knew it was going to happen, but we didn't know under what pretext it was going to be."
Guimond says it's an all hands on deck situation in Ukraine right now.
"They've asked anyone that is physically able, those that have been in the Ukrainian military at one time between the ages of 18 and 60 and all available military to stand on guard. They're not allowed to leave the country."
She says local Ukrainians aren't having any luck contacting their loved ones.
"People are not being able to contact loved ones there. Here in Windsor, and the rest of Canada, we want to do so much, but our hands are tied as to what we can do to support the Ukrainian people other than to talk about the situation and to pray as well. This does not look good for Ukraine."
Big explosions were heard in some cities and security cameras show a line of Russian military vehicles also crossing into Ukraine from Russian-annexed Crimea.
Putin has warned other countries that any attempt to interfere would lead to "consequences you have never seen."