BY ELIZABETH PIERSON
An activist of the public volunteers group "Help to Army" wearing a costume of Father Frost kisses a serviceman of the Ukrainian Army after giving him a New Year gift near the eastern Ukrainian city of Schastya, Lugansk region on December 27, 2014.
In the wake of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, volunteers across the country have united to support Ukrainian soldiers.
The movement is expansive and wide-ranging, with volunteers providing everything from food and warm clothes to bulletproof vests and camouflage tents. In addition to donations, they also care for injured soldiers, offer patriotic lessons at school and send family photos to the trenches.
Volunteers often work through the nights after finishing their day jobs, and many are supported by their families' salaries because they donate their own salary to the cause. Some people give up their weekends and vacation days to help their heroes on the front lines in eastern Ukraine.
Additional reporting by the European Pressphoto Agency.
A volunteer packs products in boxes in a Kiev supermarket. Items were collected during the day, and distributed to Ukrainian soldiers who fight in the country's east. Volunteers donate money, food, warm clothes, medicine, medical supplies and other items that soldiers may lack in the cold trenches.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A volunteer covered with the Ukrainian flag holds a charity box, and collects money for soldiers. The sign on the box reads "Help to ATO soldiers."
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
Ukrainian volunteers talk in front of their base where they make camouflage nets for soldiers. Volunteers operate like small organizations, and share their resources with each other, depending on what one particular battalion needs and asks for.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A volunteer affixes an orange heart to a newly made camouflage net to cheer up soldiers.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
Workers load a wood stove made from a used gas cylinder into a van; it will be sent to Ukrainian soldiers in Rakitnoe. The smith produces wood stoves, metal staples, iron knives and other metal production for Ukrainian soldiers for free.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
Wooden stoves are produced from used gas cylinders, which local people donate to the smith.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A Ukrainian volunteer with the organization Peacemakers of Ukraine finishes making a bullet-proof vest with a metal plate in a garage, which serves as a storehouse for humanitarian aid in Kiev.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
Volunteers load groceries from a cart into a car outside of a supermarket. Volunteers help injured soldiers, offer patriotic lessons at schools, and send personal parcels, letters and children's pictures to the front lines. Some even hand over their private cars to the army, and volunteer to collect and deliver aid supplies to soldiers.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A Ukrainian volunteer from a local car service welds a structure for carrying weapons on the top of a car that was bought by volunteers, and is being re-equipped for soldiers.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A Ukrainian volunteer with Peacemakers of Ukraine carries a box with food to be packed for soldiers.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
Ukrainian volunteers make camouflage nets and costumes for soldiers.
IMAGE: TATYANA ZENKOVICH/EPA
A Ukrainian volunteer walks past garages, some of which are serving as a storehouse for humanitarian aid efforts.
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