Ukrainian border guards released footage of what they said were Russian military vehicles moving in, and big explosions were heard in Kyiv, the capital, in the east, and in the west. As the Russian military claimed to have wiped out Ukraine’s entire air defenses in a matter of hours, Ukrainians fled some cities and European authorities declared Ukrainian air space an active conflict zone.

Early Thursday morning, an adviser to Ukraine’s president said about 40 people have been killed so far in the Russian attack on the country, the Associated Press reports.

On Thursday, President Joe Biden said he would do everything in his power to limit the financial impacts on the American public.

Still, prices could be seen fluctuating in Charlotte. Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke investigated the early effects on gas, gold, stocks and cybersecurity.

Gas Prices:

The conflict half a world away is causing ripples at the gas pump, on top of already high prices.

The price of oil spiked overnight, and oil is now above $100 per barrel. Crude oil prices haven’t reached triple digits since 2014, according to AAA.

“The global oil supply is still kind of tight and then you have this, this uncertainty about what’s going to happen with Russia and Ukraine, and that throws a lot of other uncertainty into the mix,” said AAA spokesperson Andrew Gross.

>> GAS IN THE CAROLINAS: Channel 9′s gas price tracker

The region in Eastern Europe pumps out a lot of oil. In fact, Russia is the second largest oil producer in the word.

The U.S. reportedly gets about 3% of its oil from Russia, but that doesn’t matter. If fighting disrupts oil production in the region, supply goes down worldwide and prices go up.

In Charlotte, gas prices have begun to rise. Last month, a gallon cost $3.13, according to GasBuddy. Now, the prices are around $3.48 -- a 35 cent uptick.

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There’s concern you may eventually pay even more at the pump. Here’s why; with new sanctions brought on by the U.S., experts say Russia could retaliate and cut back fuel sales, driving up demand and cost.

Experts told Channel 9 it isn’t time to panic yet.

“I don’t [think this will be anything] like 1973 as far as I can tell, when we had the OPEC embargo, you know, and gas prices went up 400%, gas was rationed, lines were at the service stations, and the like, but there will be some impact on people’s economics and daily lives,” said Bruce Jentleson, a Duke professor who advised the State Department for several years.

Stoogenke said people should resist the urge to panic buy or top off their tank. If everyone descends on the pumps at the same time, he says, we’ll end up creating our own problem.

(WATCH BELOW: Here’s how the Russian invasion of Ukraine could impact the gas pump)

Gold prices:

In times of major conflict or crisis, gold is typically a hot commodity.

[ READ MORE: Biden denounces attack, says ‘Russia alone is responsible’ ]

Precious metals hold their value well, so while others may resort to panic buying, now may be a good time to go through your old jewelry.

As demand goes up, the prices also rise.

Gold has already been surging the last eight or nine months. This morning, the price hit $1,970 an ounce. Close to an all-time high.

Bank of America is predicting the price per ounce could hit more than $2,100 by the end of the year.

Other precious metals could see their value rise too, but not quite as much.

[ READ MORE: Markets around the world shudder following Ukraine attack ]

“Gold is special. Gold is the king. And silver is kind of the stepchild,” said Ernie Perry, owner of Perry’s Diamonds and Estate Jewelry at the SouthPark Mall. “Usually when gold goes up, silver will follow it. But silver’s a lot more volatile. It can change much more dramatically than gold.”

Of course, the rising prices all depend on how long the conflict lasts and what other events intervene, so be cautious.

For example, the Federal Reserve plans to raise interest rates. Analysts think that could knock the gold price down a bit, possibly by as much as 15% by year’s end.

(WATCH BELOW: Action 9 explains why crisis in Ukraine could impact gold prices)

Stocks:

The stock market may be fluctuating, but analysts say the best course of action is to not panic.

It may be difficult looking at your investment portfolio for a bit, but that doesn’t mean it is necessarily time to sell.

[ ALSO READ: Biden announces sanctions on Russia for Ukraine invasion ]

Our current market is an example of how far we’ve come.

“Since the stock market hit bottom in March 2020, the S&P 500 rose 114.4% through Jan. 3,” according to The New York Times.

The market has dropped a bit since then, but barely in comparison.

Still, if you’re nervous watching your investments, there are options.

You can move some stocks around to less risky investments. Others may even want to invest more. After all, it could be a chance to buy low.

Historically, stocks tend to rebound quickly during conflicts.

[ PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Timeline of Ukraine, Russian tensions ]

Researchers from LPL Financial created a chart comparing the stock market with all major conflicts and crises since Pearl Harbor.

According to their findings, on average, stock prices hit bottom 19 days after the event and were back to normal by day 43.

When looking at the last seven events deemed conflicts or crises, stocks were up double-digits just 12 months later.

That said, Stoogenke recommends ensuring you have healthy reserves or rainy day funds, especially if you are close to retirement.

Cybersecurity:

Following the sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Russia, government officials are on high alert, fearful of cyberattacks from Russia.

Earlier this week, Biden administration officials warned U.S. businesses and local governments to be vigilant against potential ransomware attacks.

Homeland Security officials are worried online attacks could be Russia’s retaliation.

[ ALSO READ: What does the Russian invasion of Ukraine mean for America’s economy? ]

They warned Russia has previously shown an ability to cause significant disruption and damage in cyberspace. Some of the biggest cyberattacks against U.S. infrastructure in the past two years have been linked to suspected Russian hackers, officials said.

“We’re encouraging all organizations to take steps to both internally and externally to ensure that they can react,” said Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

(WATCH BELOW: Local residents with family members in Ukraine hold onto hope as Russia invades country)