A cruise captain from Southampton is today in limbo in Ukraine waiting for a visa for his pregnant wife so they can travel back to England.

Speaking to the Daily Echo as air raid sirens sounded, Jon Bryant said he and his wife - who is seven months pregnant - hope to cross the border to Poland.

They are waiting for the Home Office to issue Jon's wife a visa so she can travel to the United Kingdom with him and their puppy.

The couple spoke to the Echo today while heading to an air raid shelter near to where they are staying in the city of Lviv in western Ukraine.

Banks are 'struggling' but shops in the city are open although they had started to shut early as the couple walked the city, Jon said.

Daily Echo: Southampton man Jon Bryant in Lviv, UkraineSouthampton man Jon Bryant in Lviv, Ukraine

There are signs of 'apprehension and concern,' Jon said. He added: "But they're not going around panicking here by any account."

Jon and his wife had made a 14-hour journey by rail from their home in Odessa, with their French Bulldog puppy Daisy, after Vladimir Putin's troops invaded.

Jon, who had semi-retired and moved to Ukraine early last year to be with his wife, said the conflict had been inevitable and he had expected it for weeks.

The 51-year-old P&O cruise captain - who has sailed liners from the Queen Elizabeth cruise terminal in Southampton before - said: "I've been trying to gear up for this for a few weeks, couple of weeks, at least, because it was inevitable, wasn't it?

"So right now it's just been about self preservation and safety, and trying to get through to the Home Office that we need more support out here.

"Two problems we have is the system set up for visas online and even by telephone is just not working very well for this emergency.

"You need a case officer or somebody who can deal personally with X number of British nationals.

"And then of course, what me and everyone else here is going to be concerned about shortly is how I'm going to get to the border.

"Everyone certainly from Lviv, they're either escaping from other parts of the country right now, and trying to hold up here in what is considered one of the safest cities still in Ukraine. So far.

"And then there's others like me who are trying to find their way to the border, but I can't plan that until I know that I can get through with my wife."

The UK Ministry of Defence said on Saturday that the Ukrainian military had 'put up (a) staunch resistance', adding that Russian casualties are 'likely to be heavy and greater than anticipated'.

It comes as Britain pledged to continue to supply arms to Ukraine’s embattled military as the fighting with Russian forces reached the outskirts of the capital, Kyiv.

Daily Echo: Jon Bryant with his wifeJon Bryant with his wife

The relocated embassy is in Lviv, with Jon and his wife waiting for the 'nod' for a visa. He has an automated Home Office email acknowledging the application.

He added: "It's a bit frustrating. But this is a very unique world situation.

"I can understand the bigger issues involved here preventing people helping the Ukrainians but at the end of the day, they need help.

"They're a great people. They've got a good president.

"You can see that these people will not go lightly.

"They will suffer because Russia's such a large power. Putin is just that type of Hitler style... he's not going to stop and that's the problem."

Jon, whose family are in Verwood and Burley in the New Forest, said he is focussed on trying to get out of Ukraine and get back to the UK.

He said: "I was working as a captain on a cruise line.

"So I was used to dealing with issues and, staying flexible to problems - big problems  - sometimes. But not like this."

A Government spokeswoman told the Echo: “Our priority remains supporting British nationals who are resident in Ukraine and their dependents who want to leave the country.

“We are working around the clock to process visa applications and are processing many applications in a matter of hours.

“The main Visa Application Centre in Kyiv has closed following the Russian Invasion but our centre in Lviv remains open for family members of British nationals resident in Ukraine, and we have surged staff to the centres in nearby countries, including Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary.

“Ukrainian nationals are able to apply for visas from these centres and we have announced concessions for Ukrainians currently in the UK, to extend or switch their visa.

“We are working with other European countries to ensure that responses to any migration issues are practical and in the best interests of the Ukrainian people.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Williams, from the Isle of Wight, is travelling from Lviv with his family after a five-hour wait for a train.

In a video the 45-year-old businessman told the BBC: "There have been armed guards come through a couple of times now, removing any Ukrainian males of fighting age.

"Aside from that it's sad to see, like this little girl behind me here, she's waving for her father who's outside on the train and not allowed to come on board as we head to Poland and they head to who knows what.

"This isn't some abstract, this is a war in Europe. This is a Christian democratic country and families are being separated, men are being taken off trains at gunpoint to go and fight."

The Echo's sister paper, the Isle of Wight County Press, said he is due to return to Ukraine in March. He lives in Kyiv with his wife and young daughter.