Near Mariupol, on the Ukrainian front line, some volunteers have been mobilized since the start of the conflict.
They are worried about the renewed tension with the Russian neighbor who has mobilized troops at the border.
"Is there going to be an escalation? Nobody knows. The tension goes up a notch, then it drops, then it starts again," said Taira, a paramedic.
"We have been told that the Russians are deploying military hospitals near the border with Ukraine, and that is a worrying signal."
Ukraine fears the Kremlin is looking for a pretext to attack it.
Kiev accused Russia of massing more than 80,000 troops near its eastern border and in Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014, after pro-Westerners came to power in Kiev.
For its part, Moscow has warned NATO and the United States against the risk of turning Ukraine into a "powder keg" with the support given to strengthening Kiev's defense capabilities.
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