In images captured by photographers from The New York Times who have been travelling across Ukraine, civilians continue to keep to the daily rhythms of life.

Yet even as children celebrate birthdays and go sledding after a fresh snowfall, as people dance and drink and go about their business, reminders of the looming threat are getting harder to avoid.

The threat of Russian invasion is nothing new for the half a million people living in this industrial port city only about 30 miles from the Russian border. Since the conflict between Russian-backed separatists and Ukrainian forces broke out in 2014, rumors of impending invasion have become familiar background noise. Many people, like those skating in a park on a recent evening, have learned to live with the uncertainty.

Western leaders have warned that a full-scale invasion could lead to the most catastrophic violence in Europe in decades. Ukrainians, hardened by history and no stranger to threats from their giant neighbour Russia, have met the moment with a mix of apprehension and resolve.