London High Court: Western insurers not liable for Nord Stream sabotage damages
London's High Court has ruled that Western insurers are not required to cover damages from the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, citing connection to the Russia-Ukraine war.
The High Court in London has ruled that Western insurers are not obliged to compensate for the damage caused by the sabotage of both Nord Stream gas pipelines, as reported by the Financial Times citing the court ruling.
The pipeline operator Nord Stream had sought nearly 580 million euros from insurers — a claim that, if successful, would have been among the largest infrastructure damage payouts in history. The court dismissed the claim.
Judge Clare Moulder sided with the insurers, finding that the pipeline damage was directly or indirectly connected to the Russia-Ukraine war. Nord Stream had argued that the war was merely a backdrop or pretext for the sabotage.
During the six-week proceedings, Russia, Ukraine, and the United States were all named as potential perpetrators of the explosions. The judge did not determine which party was responsible.
The explosions on the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines occurred in September 2022. According to media reports, they were carried out by Ukrainian saboteurs. In 2025, two Ukrainian citizens were detained in the European Union in connection with the blasts: Serhiy Kuznetsov, who is under arrest in Germany, and Volodymyr Zhuravlov, who was released from custody. Ukraine has officially denied any involvement in the explosions.
