AN Ulster Unionist councillor who helped train Ukraine's army has said the "world cannot be observers in yet another onslaught against freedom, independence and democracy".
Now a UUP councillor in Derry, Mr McCready has maintained strong links with the country after he was involved in the UK's military deployment to train the Armed Forces of Ukraine in 2015.
As the command sergeant major, he was "partly responsible for the UK’s training design, delivery and assurance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine".
He said he travelled across the country to "visit military units and scope out training requirements and speak with the military commanders".
Mr McCready last night said he believed "Nato must be resolute".
"The world cannot be observers in yet another onslaught against freedom, independence and democracy," he said.
He also told of how when there, he worked very closely with a man called Ivan who was his linguist.
"He is an extremely skilled linguist who became my friend and have kept in touch over the years. He has stayed in touch with me since I was in Ukraine and we have become good friends, I received a text from him last night telling me he was currently safe but he has travelled to Poland to bring his wife to safety, but his parents are elderly and they will not leave which has left him heartbroken.
"He is now on the Ukrainian/Polish border supporting the humanitarian efforts and with the extraction of evacuees."
