Ukrainian Officer Dies In Iraq Mine Blast

WARSAW, Aug 15 (AFP) - A Ukrainian officer was killed by a mine blast Sunday south of Bagdad, a spokesman for the multinational division operating in central Iraq said.
The officer, Yuri Ivanov, died while patrolling the outskirts of the predominately Shiite city of Suwayrah, Colonel Artur Domanski was quoted as saying by Polish news agency PAP.
"No other soldier in the patrol unit was injured," he added.
Eight Ukrainians have died thus far in Iraq, according to the commander of the Ukrainian contingent, also quoted by PAP.
Ukraine has deployed some 1,600 troops since September 2003 in the Shiite province of Wassit in central eastern Iraq.
Kiev announced Friday that replacement troops would be sent soon to relieve Ukrainian soldiers currently in Iraq, and that there were no plans to reduce the size of the force.