KIEV, Jan. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Seven Ukrainian soldiers on mission in Iraq were killed on Sunday in a bomb explosion, the Defense Ministry's press service said.

    Andrei Lavreniuk, a ministry official on duty, told Xinhua that the tragedy occurred at 12:05 Kiev time (10:05 GMT) in Suwaira, southeast of Baghdad, when the peacekeepers were loading air bombs. One of the bombs detonated.

    Ukraine is the fourth-largest contributor of troops to the US-led coalition, with a 1,650-strong contingent serving contingent serving under Polish command in southern Iraq.

    So far nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed and more than 20 others were injured in the Arab country.

    Ukraine has decided to pull off all of its troops from Iraq before the end of this year. Enditem