KIEV, April 15 (Xinhuanet) -- Ukraine withdrew 69 soldiers from Iraq on Friday in the second pullout wave after the first batch oftroops returned home in mid-March, said the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

    An additional 67 soldiers will follow suit on Saturday, the ministry said, noting that their pullout had also been scheduled for Friday but was postponed due to the technical problem of one plane.

    Ukraine began its troops withdrawal from Iraq on March 15, and Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko signed a decree ordering that the pullout shall be completed by the year's end, his office announced on Wednesday.

    Ukraine sent about 1,650 soldiers to Iraq under the Polish command in August 2003 and 18 of them were killed and dozens injured. Enditem