| Ukraine has begun withdrawing its military contingent from Iraq. Yesterday, on two flights of the Il-76 military transport aircraft, the first group of 140 people who served in the mechanized company of the 72nd battalion near the city of Essaouira arrived in Nikolaev. Military equipment will be sent by sea through Kuwait. In the Iraqi province of Wasit, in the zone of operation of the Polish command, there are still about 1,500 Ukrainian soldiers left. 550 people will return home in May, the rest at the end of the year. Officially, Washington does not object to the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops, although the Americans are unlikely to like the Ukrainians leaving at a time when the conflict in Iraq is escalating. Nevertheless, the withdrawal of troops from Iraq was one of the election promises of the new Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, since the country's citizens do not approve of Ukraine's participation in the Iraqi campaign. The Ukrainian military mission in Iraq began on August 28, 2003. During this time, Ukraine lost 18 people, over 40 were injured. In Iraq, local authorities erected a monument to the fallen Ukrainians. Svetlana STEPANENKO, Kyiv
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