The "Nord Stream" gas pipelines were attacked in 2022 as a direct result of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, insurers told a London court, trying to avoid paying nearly 580 million euros in compensation for damage from the explosions, "Reuters" reports.
The company managing the "Nord Stream" project has filed a lawsuit against Lloyd's and Arch Insurance over the September 2022 explosions that damaged pipelines delivering Russian gas to Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The explosions, for which no country has claimed responsibility, effectively cut off a significant portion of Russian gas supplies to Europe and led to serious tensions on the energy market.
As part of the investigation, two Ukrainian citizens were arrested in Italy and Poland at the request of German authorities after traces of explosives were found on a vessel linked to the attack. Russia has accused Ukraine of sabotage, but Kiev has repeatedly denied involvement.
The Swiss-based company's claim focuses on damage to the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline and is seeking compensation of just under 580 million euros. Insurers, for their part, argue that the policies do not cover damage caused by war or by order of a state.
During the trial at the High Court in London, the insurers' lawyer stated that, according to experts, the explosions could only have been carried out by state actors or groups with state support in connection with the war in Ukraine. He stressed that insurers are not required to prove who exactly was behind the attack, only that it is more likely to be related to the military conflict.
The company counters that there is no evidence to point to a specific state as the perpetrator, and recalls that the Ukrainian authorities have consistently denied any involvement in the incident. Investigations in Germany and Sweden have been ongoing for several years, without a definitive perpetrator being identified.