A Starlink ground station was deliberately set on fire in Poland, prompting an investigation that has expanded across the German border. Polish officials have accused Russian intelligence of ordering the sabotage, targeting infrastructure critical to satellite internet services used in Ukraine.
The incident occurred at a facility in Wola Krobowska, owned by Poland’s state telecommunications operator Exatel and serving the region including Ukraine. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński confirmed that two Turkish citizens detained in Germany are suspected of carrying out the arson. Investigators have documented their movements in Poland, obtained recordings, fingerprints, and DNA evidence, with one suspect holding German residency status.
Tomasz Siemoniak, minister overseeing Poland’s intelligence services, directly attributed responsibility to Russian intelligence services, stating they increasingly recruit individuals connected to criminal networks for such operations. Polish authorities report coordination between police, the Internal Security Agency, and prosecutors under European arrest warrants issued last week.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk confirmed the detained suspects will face trial in Polish courts, while German law enforcement has reported three arrests following information-sharing with Polish authorities. A fourth individual’s detention is currently pending further assessment by Polish prosecutors.
The station’s role within Ukraine’s communications infrastructure underscores why this investigation carries significant implications beyond a single site. Investigators continue to piece together who directed the attack and who executed it, emphasizing that vulnerabilities in ground-based satellite networks remain exploitable even far from active conflict zones.
