London’s High Court has ruled that Western insurers are not required to cover the damage from the sabotage of both Nord Stream pipelines, the Financial Times reported, citing the court ruling.
Nord Stream, the pipeline operator, had sought nearly 580 million euros from insurers — a claim that, if successful, would have ranked among the largest infrastructure-damage payouts in history. Nord Stream lost.
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. Two Ukrainian citizens were detained in the European Union in 2025 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.
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