7 Ukrainian Peacekeepers Wounded in Iraq

[NNN0LHI]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031029/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ukraine_iraq&cid=540&ncid=1480

KIEV, Ukraine - Seven Ukrainian peacekeepers were wounded when militants attacked their patrol in southern Iraq, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry said Wednesday.

Two armored personnel carriers with 17 Ukrainian peacekeepers were ambushed Tuesday night near As Suwayrah, northwest of their base at Kut in southern Iraq, said Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Kostiantyn Khivrenko. Three mines exploded under the vehicles, and militants then opened fire.

Khivrenko said that the wounded soldiers' condition was stable. Five of them were hospitalized in Baghdad, and the two others suffered only slight injuries.

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[TheLastMohican]

1. Our boys are being ambushed

This is the last nail in Kuchma's political tombstone. When guys will start coming home in "cargo 200" (jargon for zinc coffins) just like from Afganistan in the 80's he will be the one to blame along with Defence minister Evgen Marchuk. But in the 80's ukrainians as part of soviet union fought for no reason fullfilling the "international duty" as it was called back then.
It happens now that every generation needs senseless deaths to grow up enough to say to their leaders "enough, we will not let you butcher our boys for your vague political objectives".

P.S. I feel sorry for them, although they all volunteered to go to Iraq and even paid bribes to officials to go there. Why?
The standard salary of officer in armed forces of Ukraine is around 350 hryvnias (= 66 $)per month, for soldiers it is even less. Iraq adventure pays 600$ a month for soldiers and NCOs and around 1000$ for officers.
I hope those bloody money would be worthy of their wounds.

Currently Ukrainian 5th Mechanised Brigade is patrolling the area of Al-Kut in the Polish sector in Iraq. It consists of some 1600 soldiers, NCOs and officers.

[lanlady]

4. Kuchma hurt by this?

I do hope you're right. He's turned into quite the murderous creep. But somehow I doubt he'll be held accountable.

[NoPasaran]

5. I share your doubts

I have times when I really try to keep up with Ukrainian events and other times when it is all too depressing (currently in the latter mode).

The wisest people I ever knew were my grandparents, all of who left what was then Austria-Hungary and now many changes of flags later is Ukraine and came to America.

[dArKeR]

2. Made in ? armored personnel carriers? Doesn't say.

[James T. Kirk]

3. Bright side

At least this means that the Ukranians are helping out and it's not just our guys doing all the work and getting shot at.

[NickB79]

6. I don't know if you're serious or not, but

Yep, they sure are helping us out. This kind of help used to be called BEING CANNON FODDER!!!