There is a war in the middle of Europe right now - the Ambassador to Ukraine Mykola Kulinich. Watch from the 24:20 min mark
With the upsurge in fighting, occasional exchanges of gunfire have been replaced with barrages of heavy artillery.
The power has been cut, and most are without heating. Local authorities have set up warming tents where, for a while at least, frozen residents can thaw out.
But there is no relief from the bombardment on both sides and each hour brings more death, more injuries.
Few on the Ukrainian side believe much happens in rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine without Russian approval.
Although Moscow constantly denies involvement, a remarkable amount of military hardware and men trained to use it appear as if from nowhere. That 'nowhere' would be the Russian border, according to the Ukrainian Government.
It is hard to see how the rebel movement could have survived so long without outside help.
Some analysts believe Moscow is pushing its strategic position ahead of fresh negotiations now that the Minsk agreement, which was supposed to bring lasting peace, is doing anything but.
Of course, the rebels say it was the Ukrainians who started it all. And civilians on their side have suffered too.
The United Nations Security Council has warned both sides to halt the violence, which it described as a "dangerous deterioration".
Ukraine is preparing to evacuate the residents of Adviivka and says 8,000 a day may be moved to safer places.
But as Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Dr Mykola Kulinich tells me, there cannot be any movement of people until there is a ceasefire.
He warns of a possible catastrophe if the fighting does not end, not from the shells and bullets, but the extreme cold.
Dr Kulinich says the current conflict is about gaining the upper hand ahead of future negotiations.
He wants Australia to exert as much pressure on the Russian Government as possible to stop the fighting.
He also has a dire warning. Most serious conflicts start as something relatively small and can spiral out of control.
He fears the current violence could be a precursor to something much worse.
There is a war in the middle of Europe right now, he reminds us.
It is small, it is relatively contained. But it could spread by accident or design. And even far away Australia may not be immune to what could come next.