PHOTOS: Life in Ukraine on the edge amid war fears

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Members of National Guard of Ukraine look out of the window as they ride in a bus through the city of Kyiv.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman is reflected in a mirror as he smokes a cigarette on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A young woman handles a weapon during a basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov, of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian service member listens to artillery shots standing in a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A bullet riddled effigy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is coated by fresh snow at a frontline position in the Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
An elderly woman walks by as members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, survey a crater and damage to a house from artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, one of the at least eight that hit the village today.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman fires an NLAW anti-tank weapon during an exercise in the Joint Forces Operation, in the Donetsk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen stand by a destroyed house near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen with the 34th Battalion dance to a performance by Larisa Borisenko, near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A cross in memory of a Ukrainian soldier is placed in a field near the place he was killed on in 2018, at a front line position outside Popasna, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian Army soldiers pose for a photo as they gather to celebrate a Day of Unity in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Women wait at a bus stop in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People sit inside a bus waiting to be evacuates to Russia amid crisis in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Newlyweds Alexandra Tabashnenko, 27 and Pavel Tabashnenko, 33 walk on a promenade after getting married in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People from Donetsk, the territory controlled by a pro-Russia separatist government in eastern Ukraine, gather to fill in documents after evacuating in the Rostov-on-Don region, near the border with Ukraine, Russia.
PHOTO: AP Photo

Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian police officers march past a woman begging for alms during a demonstration in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Members of National Guard of Ukraine look out of the window as they ride in a bus through the city of Kyiv.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman is reflected in a mirror as he smokes a cigarette on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A young woman handles a weapon during a basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov, of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian service member listens to artillery shots standing in a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A bullet riddled effigy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is coated by fresh snow at a frontline position in the Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
An elderly woman walks by as members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, survey a crater and damage to a house from artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, one of the at least eight that hit the village today.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman fires an NLAW anti-tank weapon during an exercise in the Joint Forces Operation, in the Donetsk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen stand by a destroyed house near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen with the 34th Battalion dance to a performance by Larisa Borisenko, near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A cross in memory of a Ukrainian soldier is placed in a field near the place he was killed on in 2018, at a front line position outside Popasna, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian Army soldiers pose for a photo as they gather to celebrate a Day of Unity in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Women wait at a bus stop in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People sit inside a bus waiting to be evacuates to Russia amid crisis in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Newlyweds Alexandra Tabashnenko, 27 and Pavel Tabashnenko, 33 walk on a promenade after getting married in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People from Donetsk, the territory controlled by a pro-Russia separatist government in eastern Ukraine, gather to fill in documents after evacuating in the Rostov-on-Don region, near the border with Ukraine, Russia.
PHOTO: AP Photo
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian police officers march past a woman begging for alms during a demonstration in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Members of National Guard of Ukraine look out of the window as they ride in a bus through the city of Kyiv.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman is reflected in a mirror as he smokes a cigarette on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Civilians train with members of the Georgian Legion, a paramilitary unit formed mainly by ethnic Georgian volunteers to fight against Russian forces in Ukraine in 2014, in Kyiv, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A young woman handles a weapon during a basic combat training for civilians, organized by the Special Forces Unit Azov, of Ukraine's National Guard, in Mariupol, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian service member listens to artillery shots standing in a trench on a position at the line of separation between Ukraine-held territory and rebel-held territory near Zolote, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A bullet riddled effigy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is coated by fresh snow at a frontline position in the Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
An elderly woman walks by as members of the Joint Centre for Control and Coordination on ceasefire of the demarcation line, or JCCC, survey a crater and damage to a house from artillery shell that landed in Vrubivka, one of the at least eight that hit the village today.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A Ukrainian serviceman fires an NLAW anti-tank weapon during an exercise in the Joint Forces Operation, in the Donetsk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen stand by a destroyed house near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian servicemen with the 34th Battalion dance to a performance by Larisa Borisenko, near the frontline village of Krymske, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
A cross in memory of a Ukrainian soldier is placed in a field near the place he was killed on in 2018, at a front line position outside Popasna, Luhansk region.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian Army soldiers pose for a photo as they gather to celebrate a Day of Unity in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Women wait at a bus stop in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People sit inside a bus waiting to be evacuates to Russia amid crisis in Donetsk, the territory controlled by pro-Russian militants, eastern Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Alexei Alexandrov
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Newlyweds Alexandra Tabashnenko, 27 and Pavel Tabashnenko, 33 walk on a promenade after getting married in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
People from Donetsk, the territory controlled by a pro-Russia separatist government in eastern Ukraine, gather to fill in documents after evacuating in the Rostov-on-Don region, near the border with Ukraine, Russia.
PHOTO: AP Photo
Ukraine Tensions Photo Gallery
Ukrainian police officers march past a woman begging for alms during a demonstration in Odessa, Ukraine.
PHOTO: AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti
Ordinary Ukrainian civilians take part in military drills to prepare for possible war, handling automatic rifles or advancing in formation as the country lives under the threat of a feared Russian invasion.
Families hold tearful goodbyes in separatist-held eastern Ukraine, as women and children wave from trains and buses bound for Russia.
Soldiers on the tense front line take pensive smoke breaks, steal a moment to dance playfully, or take up fighting positions, their eyes haunted.
Elsewhere, some of life’s normalcy goes on. A destitute woman begs for alms on an Odesa street, and a bride and groom celebrate their union on the Black Sea shore.