Russia, Ukraine: New Scandal Impending

KIEV, Ukraine -- Russia and Ukraine will clash anew very soon, this time on issues of environmental protection. Kiev intends to demand from Moscow the compensation of billion dollars for polluting the Kerch Strait by petroleum.

An oil covered bird lies in front of Ukrainian soldiers removing oil pollution from the Black Sea shore at the Ukraines "Kosa Tuzla" island near Black Sea port Kerch November 15, 2007.
Past November, the storm broke up Russian tanker Volgoneft-139, sank freighters Kovel, Volnogorsk, Nakhichevan and damaged a few other vessels in the Kerch Strait between the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

The fuel oil spilled from the tanker, killing dolphins in the Black Sea and heavily polluting the nearby Sea of Azov.

Ukraine has finally calculated the damage, estimating at $1.457 billion the losses caused by the fuel oil pollution.

First Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Turchinov made the respective statement on Tuesday, during the sitting of the State Commission for Technogenic and Ecological Safety.

In the next move, Kiev is likely to attempt to enforce the payment on Moscow.

Source: Kommersant