The Nord Stream and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were attacked in 2022 as a direct consequence of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, insurance companies said in court in London, England on April 16 in an effort to avoid paying nearly 580 million euros (about 684 million USD) for the gas pipeline explosion.
The Nord Stream management company is suing Lloyd's & Arch Insurance over insurance premiums for the explosions that occurred in September 2022, causing Russian gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea to burst.
The lawsuit of Nord Stream, based in Switzerland, focuses on damage to the Nord Stream pipeline and argues that the company has the right to compensate nearly 580 million euros.
The lawyer representing Lloyd's & Arch said that Nord Stream's insurance contract excludes damages caused by war or by order of any government.
Lawyer Simon Salzedo, representing Lloyd's & Arch, stated in court records that geopolitical experts agreed that the Nord Stream explosion could only be carried out by state-level entities from Ukraine, Russia or the United States, or by non-state groups from Ukraine but with state support.
The trial at the London High Court examined the arguments of insurance companies that the 2022 explosion was related to the Ukraine conflict or directed by a state.
Investigators in Germany and Sweden took years to determine responsibility. Italy extradited a Ukrainian citizen to Germany last year, but the Polish court refused to extradite the second suspect.
Lawyer Salzedo said that insurance companies do not need to prove who carried out the attack or motives, but only need to prove the high possibility of involvement of a state or the explosion affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, Nord Stream's lawyers argue that no expert can determine which government, if any, is responsible and "the only reality currently established is that the state of Ukraine... has repeatedly and clearly denied all involvement".
The Nord Stream explosion almost cut off Russia's gas supply to Europe, marking a major escalation in the conflict and putting pressure on energy supplies.
Two Ukrainian citizens were arrested in Italy and Poland at the request of German prosecutors, after discovering traces of explosives on a boat suspected of being involved in the attack.
Russia accuses Ukraine of being behind the incident, but Kiev has repeatedly denied any involvement.
