KIEV, June 14 – Ukraine is to begin this autumn the shipment of first batches of military hardware to Iraq under a large-scale contract worth over $550 million struck in 2009.

The delivery of the first An-32 (P) aircraft for Iraq is scheduled tentatively for September, Dmitriy Kiva, the head of state-run Antonov Concern told Interfax-Ukraine.

"The first aircraft will be supplied in the near future, we should do that by September," he said, noting that work under the contract is proceeding normally.