TWO UKRAINIAN SOLDIERS WERE INJURED IN IRAQ ON MONDAY AFTER A ROADSIDE BOMB EXPLODED NEXT TO THEIR VEHICLE, THE INTERFAX NEWS AGENCY REPORTED. COLONEL SERHY KOLOBYLIN AND MAJOR SERHY TISHCHENKO HAD BEEN RIDING IN A TOYOTA LAND CRUISER IN IRAQ'S KADISIA PROVINCE NEAR THE CITY AD-DIWANIYA AT THE TIME OF THE ATTACK, ACCORDING TO A MINISTRY OF DEFENCE STATEMENT, DPA REPORTED. KOLOBYLIN RECEIVED FRAGMENTATION INJURIES TO HIS RIGHT SIDE, THIGH, AND SHOULDER. A US HELICOPTER TRANSPORTED HIM TO A BAGHDAD HOSPITAL, WHERE HE WAS OPERATED ON. TISHCHENKO RECEIVED A METAL SHARD TO HIS BACK, AND WAS BEING TREATED AT A MILITARY HOSPITAL IN THE OCCUPATION FORCES' CAMP ECHO. NEITHER UKRAINIAN'S LIFE WAS IN DANGER, THE REPORT SAID. NO OTHER MEMBER OR VEHICLE OF A SLOVAKIAN ROAD CONVOY THE UKRAINIANS HAD BEEN TRAVELLING WITH, WAS HARMED IN THE BOMBING. UKRAINE PULLED ALMOST ALL ITS TROOPS OUT OF IRAQ LAST YEAR AFTER A THREE-YEAR DEPLOYMENT KILLING SEVENTEEN AND INJURING DOZENS. AT THE TIME ITS 2,000-MEMBER INFANTRY BRIGADE WAS ONE OF THE LARGEST FOREIGN FORMATIONS IN THE COUNTRY. A TINY CONTINGENT OF 43 OFFICERS AND SENIOR ENLISTED STAYED ON TO PARTICIPATE IN ASSISTANCE PROGRAMMES TO THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT, PAID FOR BY THE US GOVERNMENT. TISHCHENKO HAD WORKED AS A LOGISTICS MANAGER. KOLOBYLIN HAD BEEN AN ADVISOR TO THE IRAQI NATIONAL POLICE, A FREQUENT TARGET FOR INSURGENT ATTACKS. UKRAINE'S MINISTRY OF DEFENCE BANNED MOVEMENTS BY UKRAINIAN PERSONNEL OUTSIDE SECURE CAMPS FOR THE INDEFINITE FUTURE, AS A RESULT OF THE BOMBING, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT.
