A day in the life on Maidan

Anti-government protesters calling for Ukraine’s integration with the European Union occupied Kyiv's Independence Square, also known as "Maidan" in early December 2013. They set up camp on the capital’s main square and endured subzero temperatures for weeks, hovering around makeshift campfires, like the one pictured above, to stay warm.

During the day the temperature hovers around -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit), at night it can easily plummet to -25 degrees Celsius (-13 degrees Fahrenheit). To survive the cold, tents are sealed and heated with wood-burning stoves. Firewood is brought in by Kyiv residents but police have stopped and arrested people transporting wood.

Warm clothes are stocked and donated by Kyiv residents who support the EuroMaidan volunteers. Thick coats, sweaters, socks and shirts are in abundance, bundled on top of each other. Anybody who wishes or needs can take any item of clothing, day or night.

Operating around the clock, soup kitchens, tea stations and wood-burning stoves help thousands of demonstrators brave the subzero temperatures. Soup kitchens, like the one above, are a highly disciplined operation made possible by donations and support from surrounding residents.

Mr. Mustafa’s Plov kitchen is one of the most popular kitchens on Maidan, with a seemingly endless line of cold and hungry protesters. Originally from Uzbekistan and now based in the Crimea, Mr. Mustafa offers Plov, an Uzbek national dish served with rice, onions, spices and meat or fish. It’s cooked in a "kazan," a type of large cooking pot used throughout Central Asia and Russia.

Another popular activity around Maidan is playing a game of chess. Though it is very cold, Kyivians enjoy playing this game on a frozen fountain. Chess is a traditional and popular game in the Ukraine and is played no matter the season. The 50 cm chess pieces made of sturdy polystyrene do not require much effort.

To keep the heart warm on a cold winter night, a Ukrainian bard sings and narrates patriotic hymns, songs and poems on Maidan’s main stage. Pictured above, the bard holds a "Kobzar," a Ukrainian stringed instrument of the lute family. Singers, actors and activists use the main stage as a 24-hour platform. During breaks, film and historical documentaries are also shown.

Standing by a Metro exit blocked with tires, barbed wire and a "no way through" sign, a Kievian takes a "selfie." Many locals enter Maidan in order to use the underground passage, which acts as a Metro entrance for the Khreshchatyk metro station, a short-cut to the local supermarket and small businesses. It's an opportunity to warm up in freezing weather or to satisfy their own Maidan curiosity.

But life on Maidan isn’t always fun. Last month three protesters were killed in clashes with riot police bringing the official death count to six, including two police officers. More than 1,000 have been injured. The circumstances of some of the deaths still remain unclear. Four people died from gunshot wounds; ambulance services have confirmed bullet wounds from sniper rifles and other handguns.

Protesters have constructed a layered defense system. At the front barricades, protesters are only a few hundred meters away from police. Ice, bricks, burn barrels and scrap metal separate both groups. There are many young men patrolling the Maidan, armed with a long stick and usually wearing helmets, trying to keep the peace and enforce the ban on alcohol and recreational drug use.

The order and security on Maidan are provided by the protesters themselves; many of whom are former police officers or former members of special forces units, including soldiers from various public organizations, who fought in Afghanistan. They train volunteers in tactical and formation awareness, striving to prevent any provocations by instilling self-discipline within the ranks.

Accompanied by Orthodox priests, the "Mothers of Maidan" are often seen marching in groups carrying printed slogans, such as "Not our Children." Many of the mothers have come from all over the Ukraine. Since their sons are serving in the police and special force units, they have pleaded with officials not to deploy them in Kyiv. The compulsory military service for men aged 18-25 ended in 2014.

While you can’t take EuroMaidan home, you can bring home small souvenirs, such as magnets with slogans like "Ukraine is Europe" or "(Your) Choice Matters." Though Ukraine joining the EU was one of the protestors' initial demands, the demonstrations are now addressing a larger issue: demanding the Ukrainian government to show transparency and respect for their constitutional rights.