KIEV, March 19 - Ukraine will demand compensation from Russian ship owners for damages caused by oil contaminated waste which poured into Kerch Strait where a number of vessels sunk in November 2007, the Ukrainian government's press service said.

The press service said that the state commission for environmental safety and emergency situations instructed the relevant ministry to inform the Russian Federation about a levy on Russian ship owners for losses coming to $1.428 billion, as well as damages caused to land resources in Crimea worth UAH 88.334 million (5.05 hryvni/$1 on March 19, 2008) or $17.6 million.