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A Ukrainian-born lecturer at a UK university has described how ordinary people in his home city of Kyiv, including his father, are taking up arms to fight against the Russians.

Andrii Zharikov, a senior lecturer in law at the University of Portsmouth’s law faculty, said he is trembling with fear for his family and has been struggling to sleep or eat since the invasion.

The 30-year-old said he has asked his family – mother Tetyana Zharikova, 53, father Victor Zharikov, 55, and 19-year-old sister Anna-Maria Zharikova – to keep him updated every hour so he knows that they are safe.

Mr Zharikov explained that his sister had taken up the offer of a spare seat in the car to flee Kyiv for the west of the country while his mother was in a bomb shelter looking after his 86-year-old grandmother.

The lecturer said his father, a history teacher, had been queueing for hours to obtain a weapon so he can join the resistance.

He said: “I fear so much about my family, I am helpless here, all I can do is to raise awareness and urge the UK government, they have done some good work so far, we need more support, more action, some of the coalition allies are blocking some decisions.

“The countdown is hours now, not days, and I am absolutely terrified what will happen to my mum, will it be the last time I talk to her or will I get another chance.”