KYIV. June 21 (Interfax-Ukraine) - A group of Ukrainian servicemen left for Iraq on Friday to scout out a location for basing the Ukrainian peacekeeping contingent in the stabilization force, the Defense Ministry press service told Interfax-Military News Agency.
The objectives of the group include reconnaissance for the location where the Ukrainian unit will be stationed, ways leading from the airport to that site, and water sources, Interfax-AVN was told.
In addition, the group will meet with U.S. officials in Iraq, Interfax was told.
As was reported earlier, the Ukrainian peacekeepers will perform their mission in the Polish sector. For this reason, a Polish military delegation is scheduled to visit Ukraine. The date of this visit has not yet been determined, the press service said.
In response to a question about where the Ukrainian contingent will be based in Iraq, the source told Interfax-AVN that there are two options, but "it is too early to speak about this yet."
Ukraine will send up to 1,800 soldiers to take part in the Iraq stabilization force. The contingent will stay there for 12 months. Movement of the contingent to Iraq will take about 20 days. The formation and training of the Ukrainian contingent will be completed by mid-July and will start fully functioning in mid- August.