In this regard, the statements of some politicians, 'experts' and journalists about the immediate recall of the 7th Separate Mechanized Brigade to their homeland can only be called groundless. It is neither organizationally nor technically possible to redeploy such a number of personnel, property, equipment and weapons in the shortest possible time. But a special place in the implementation of such a decision is occupied by political and, in fact, military aspects related to our obligations to the representatives of the multinational forces and the Iraqis themselves.
That is why the plan developed by the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense provides for the gradual reduction and complete withdrawal of the Ukrainian contingent from the Republic of Iraq by the middle of June this year. According to military experts, that is exactly how much time is needed to settle all formalities and prepare thoroughly.
The plan takes into account the experience of the three previous rotations. The last one took place from September 22 to October 15, 2004. During this time, about three thousand personnel were transported from Ukraine to Iraq and back by 25 flights of Il-76 aircraft of the State Enterprise of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine 'Ukrainian Aviation Transport Company'. By sea, 31 units of armored vehicles and 50 containers of military property were delivered to the Kuwaiti port of Ash-Shu'aiba. From Kuwait to the Iraqi city of Al-Kut, the convoy with cargo covered a distance of over 600 kilometers.
Currently, the fully staffed and fully equipped 7th Separate Mechanized Brigade (OMBR) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is carrying out tasks to maintain peace and stability in the Iraqi province of Wasit.
The peculiarity of that rotation was that for the first time in the history of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, combat cover for the redeployment of a large number of personnel and equipment to the airfield located on the territory of the Ukrainian unit's base camp 'Delta' was carried out by their own forces. The arrival and departure of each aircraft with servicemen was planned as a separate combat operation. The areas adjacent to the airfield were divided into seven sectors and assigned to the corresponding subunits of the contingent. Several hours before the start, from 2 to 5 mechanized patrols moved out there, whose task was to prevent firing at aircraft. At the same time, checkpoints were set up on the roads near the base camp and the movement of any vehicles was stopped. From the air, the Ukrainians were covered by two American military helicopters.
The issues of aircraft piloting were also worked out separately. For example, in order to limit the sector of possible shelling, landing was carried out at such an angle that already when descending from a height of four and a half kilometers, the 'transports' found themselves in a controlled and safe zone. This minimized the possibility of hitting the aircraft from man-portable air-defense systems. After unloading personnel, the aircraft departed for home within one hour.
All ground activities related to ensuring flight safety were worked out 'excellently'. The chief of the operational department of the 7th OMBR, Colonel Igor Myagkov, recalls how an alarming signal came from one of the observation posts of the base camp. A soldier reported seeing an anti-aircraft gun near the airfield. A patrol urgently sent to the indicated place found that it was an ordinary drainpipe. Nevertheless, the soldier was encouraged for his vigilance, which is never superfluous in such cases.
The sea ferry 'Tikhiy', loaded with armored vehicles and property, covered the distance from the port of Nikolaev to Kuwait in almost three weeks. In the Persian Gulf, the ferry was met by an operational group of the command of the Ukrainian Armed Forces' Ground Forces, headed by Major General Igor Fedorov.
There were also problems associated with changes in Kuwait's customs rules and unloading conditions. The experience of the only woman in the operational group, Oksana Pogrebnaya, director of the enterprise 'Transprogress' (an organization that transports property and equipment of the Ukrainian peacekeeping contingent by sea), came in very handy here.
By the way, for Oksana Vitalyevna, who is respectfully called the 'queen of armored personnel carriers' in the contingent, this is already the fourth large-scale operation in the interests of the domestic military department and the third related to Iraq. Thanks to the determination and established connections of this fragile woman, it was possible to significantly reduce the costs of using the services of the Kuwaiti port. 'I am very pleased to cooperate with our military,' Oksana Vitalyevna shares her impressions. 'They are true gentlemen and highly qualified professionals. But I especially value the experience gained in performing such complex tasks together with my military colleagues.'
The military have such a concept as honor. Understanding the need to withdraw the contingent, the peacekeepers want to leave this country with dignity: having completed the work they started, having transferred authority to trained Iraqi security forces. And they do not want the withdrawal of the brigade to look like a flight. They urge not to trade their professionalism, authority, trust, acquired through hard work, their blood and sweat, for cheap political dividends.
Yuri KARIN,
Al-Kut, Republic of Iraq.
Specially for 'Zagranitsa'.