Food poisoning hits Ukraine army unit, 150 sick

Food poisoning struck a Ukrainian army combat unit, leaving more than 150 soldiers on sick list, Ukrainian Army officials said Wednesday.Soldiers and officers of the 72nd Mechanised Infantry Brigade based in Bely Tserkov in central Ukraine began suffering gastric complaints after meals in the unit cafeteria.
More than 60 soldiers with severe symptoms were hospitalised, but all are expected to recover, army officials said. Voentorgservis, a government-owned company providing food past its expiration date, appeared to be responsible for the mass food poisoning, an officer familiar with the incident told the German Press Agency.
The firm had been supplying food to units based in Bely Tserkov, although the company's service contract had expired in July, Channel 5 television reported. A government anti-graft panel appointed by Ukraine President Viktor Yushchenko in 2008 recommended an overhaul of military supply contracting, singling out Voentorgservis as a problematic supply company needing sacking.