A CITY councillor has told of his escape from a Ukrainian city just hours before a Russian missile bombardment while rescuing his mother-in-law.

Alistair McNair said he had to make the trip with his wife Tetiana, 41, to rescue his mother-in-law Tamara, 63, who is “not mobile” enough to make the journey by herself.

He lived in Ukraine for eight years and took annual leave to fly out to Poland on March 28 before crossing the border.

He then embarked on a 14-hour train journey from Lviv in the west of the country, to Kremenchuk, central Ukraine by Wednesday, March 30.

The Argus: Alistair in Kremenchuk where they had to pick up his mother-in-lawAlistair in Kremenchuk where they had to pick up his mother-in-law

The group got out less than 12 hours before a missile bombardment hit Kremenchuk on Saturday April 2.

The 45-year-old said the journey was “quite something” and told of hearing “eerie” air raid sirens while out walking, witnessing machine gun-manned roadblocks and sitting on trains with blackout curtains to avoid being targeted by Russian attacks.

The Conservative councillor for Patcham arrived back in the UK yesterday, Sunday April 2, with Tetiana and Tamara. They secured a UK visa for his mother-in-law back in December because they “feared a war happening”.

Tamara had fled her home in Kyiv to be with family in Kremenchuk, but Alistair and Tetiana wanted to get her out while the war rages on.

The Argus: Left shows Alistair's wife Tetiana in their compartment where you were not allowed to lift the curtains at night. Right, Alistair at the beginning of his 14-hour journey Left shows Alistair's wife Tetiana in their compartment where you were not allowed to lift the curtains at night. Right, Alistair at the beginning of his 14-hour journey

He told The Argus: “The only way we could get her out was to actually go and get her because she is not that mobile. We invited Tetiana’s aunt as well, but she wanted to stay because she has her son and other family there in Kremenchuk.

“It was quite an adventure. The first thing you notice when you cross the border, even in far Western Ukraine, there are lots of roadblocks with guys in military uniform with machine guns.

“Another sign is the air raid sirens. We were in Lviv for a day and heard four air raid sirens in that time.

The Argus: Alistair with some of his in-laws in KremenchukAlistair with some of his in-laws in Kremenchuk

“There are also curfews in each city, we were told that they have air raid sirens because although you don’t always hear or see the missiles. They are bombing the outskirts of Lviv or nearby towns.

“Lviv is a big city but it was very quiet. There is no alcohol allowed, we tried to buy wine but were reminded that we weren’t allowed.

“On the trains, it’s blackout. At 8pm you have to close all the blinds on the trains, the guards would come and make sure.

The Argus: From left, Tetiana, Tamara saying goodbye to family in KremenchukFrom left, Tetiana, Tamara saying goodbye to family in Kremenchuk

“In Kremenchuk, shops were open but no restaurants and cafes are open.”

Alistair said his mother-in-law plans to stay in Brighton at his home but wants to return to her home in Kyiv when it is safe to do so.

He added: “We will see how things go. Although three million people have left, most people don’t want to leave Ukraine. My mother-in-law will come for a period of time, but she doesn’t want to stay with us permanently.

"She wants to get back to her house in Kyiv, if it’s safer in a couple months, my wife will take her back to her house and see if it's okay.

“If it gets worse in Kremenchuk, we will try to get more family to come and stay with us in England.”