UUP councillor and former soldier Ryan McCready stands in solidarity with friends in Ukraine

Former soldier Ryan McCready said: “I volunteered to deploy to Ukraine on Operation Orbital in 2015.

“I was employed as the Command Sergeant Major, partly responsible for the UK’s training design, delivery and assurance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“Back then, their military was a relic of the Soviet Union era; military equipment and material were dilapidated and outdated. This problem was compounded further due to decades of under investment within the Ukrainian MoD. It needed modernised, rapidly, which was one of the UK’s main objectives on Operation Orbital.

“During my deployment, I travelled all over Ukraine to visit military units and scope out training requirements and speak with the military commanders. Some of the places I visited are now under the control of Russian Forces or being fiercely contested by the very Ukrainian units which I trained and supported back in 2015/16 – places like Mykolaiv, Odesa, Cherkasy, Zhytomyr, Rivne and of course the city of Kyiv.

“The training received by the Armed Forces of Ukraine was largely based around battlefield medical procedures, counter-improvised explosive devices, basic infantry skills, logistical planning and tactics including urban operations and navigational skills.

“Whilst I was there, I worked very closely with a man called Ivan who was my 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.

“I worked with many people and learnt many things about the Ukrainian people – they are resilient, steadfast, proud and will fight for their people to their last breath. Every man and woman from 18-60 will take up arms to defend their freedom, house, street, city and country against Russian aggression.

“Russia has engaged in a multi-layered invasion, comprising of air power, armour, drones, cyber, disinformation and has already encircled the city of Kyiv and is attempting to take control of strategic airports. Throughout the weekend, the Ukrainians put up fierce resistance in the outer towns and managed to repel a significant Russian armoured column in the town of Kherson.

“I stand in solidarity with my brothers and sisters in Ukraine. They have been trained and equipped for this very day – the day of a Russian invasion. Regrettably, that day has arrived and the Ukrainians are putting service before self.”

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