Tusk reports arrest of suspects in sabotage against Starlink
Two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink satellite ground station in Poland have been detained in Germany. Polish authorities consider the incident sabotage carried out on behalf of foreign intelligence services and claim Russia's involvement.
This was reported on Monday, October 12, by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on social media platform X. Additional details were revealed by Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński and Minister-Coordinator of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak.
"At the request of Polish services, German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to the Starlink station in Mazovia. This is another act of hybrid war. Those guilty of sabotage will answer to Polish justice," — wrote Tusk.
Suspects detained in Germany
According to Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński, the two men were detained on October 12 in Germany. The operation was conducted by the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA).
The detention was based on materials collected by Polish police jointly with the Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the prosecutor's office.
Kierwiński stated that, according to investigators, the detained individuals directly participated in setting fire to the equipment of the satellite station.
The men are to be transferred to Poland on the basis of European arrest warrants. After their transfer, Polish investigators intend to charge them with sabotage and diversionary activities on behalf of foreign intelligence.
At the time of the announcement, the suspects were in Germany. No information has yet been provided about their transfer to Polish law enforcement agencies.
Polish intelligence services claim Russia's involvement
Polish Minister-Coordinator of Special Services Tomasz Siemoniak stated that Polish authorities link the arson to the activities of Russian intelligence services.
"We have no doubt that Russian services are behind this act of sabotage," he emphasized.
According to Siemoniak, Russian intelligence services are increasingly involving people with criminal backgrounds in such operations. The minister believes that this approach allows the organizers to conceal direct participation in sabotage.
He also thanked German law enforcement agencies for cooperation and the swift detention of the suspects.
At the same time, claims of Russian involvement presently represent the position of Polish authorities. The final circumstances of the organization of the arson and the role of each of the detainees are to be established during the investigation and trial.
What happened at the Starlink station
The fire at the Starlink ground station occurred on the evening of September 23 in the village of Wola Krobowska, Mazovia Voivodeship, Poland, near the town of Grójec.
At about 21:07, the owner of the property where the telecommunications equipment is located reported the fire to emergency services. Three fire crews arrived at the scene.
The fire engulfed the station's power supply equipment. As a result of the fire, the electrical distribution system and generator were damaged. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze. There were no casualties.
Already in the initial stage of the investigation, law enforcement considered the version of intentional arson.
On September 25, the National Prosecutor's Office of Poland officially opened criminal proceedings on the grounds of sabotage and a terrorist offense committed on behalf of foreign intelligence.
The investigation was assigned to the Internal Security Agency and the Central Police Investigation Bureau.
Attack may have targeted communications in Ukraine
The facility in Wola Krobowska is part of the ground infrastructure of the Starlink satellite system, which provides internet connectivity in Central and Eastern Europe, including Ukraine.
After the fire, the Polish prosecutor's office reported that the presumed goal of the arsonists was to disrupt satellite communications and the transmission of internet traffic in Poland and other countries in the region.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalization of Poland Krzysztof Gawkowski previously stated that such incidents may be part of Russia's hybrid war.
Polish authorities emphasized the importance of Starlink infrastructure for Ukraine, which uses satellite communications for civilian and military purposes.
However, no confirmed data regarding a large-scale outage of Starlink in Ukraine directly following the September fire was provided.
The detention of two suspects became a new stage in the investigation of an incident that Polish authorities regard as a deliberate attack on strategic telecommunications infrastructure.
The next step will be the transfer of the detainees to Poland, the filing of charges against them, and identification of possible organizers of the sabotage.
Earlier, "Kurs Ukrainy" reported on the fire at the Starlink station and suspicions of Polish law enforcement regarding intentional arson.
Based on materials from: Donald Tusk, RMF24, Onet, Polish National Prosecutor's Office.