Two Turkish nationals have been arrested in Germany in connection with a fire at a Starlink communications station in Poland that authorities say was an act of sabotage carried out on behalf of Russian intelligence.
Polish officials announced the arrests Monday, approximately one month after the fire at a facility in the Masovia region of central Poland.
The blaze damaged the station’s power supply and backup generator. Authorities believe the attack was intended to disrupt internet communications, including services used by Ukraine’s military.
Suspects Face Sabotage Charges
Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said the suspects would face charges of conducting sabotage on the instructions of a foreign intelligence service.
German police carried out the arrests at the request of Polish authorities.
“We have no doubt that Russian services are behind this act of sabotage,” Polish Special Services Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said at a news conference. He added that Russian intelligence agencies were increasingly recruiting individuals with connections to criminal networks.
Moscow has previously rejected similar allegations of involvement in sabotage operations across Europe.
Starlink’s Role in Ukraine
The investigation comes amid concerns among European governments over suspected Russian sabotage operations targeting infrastructure and support networks for Ukraine.
Ukraine’s armed forces rely on tens of thousands of Starlink terminals for battlefield communications and some drone operations.
SpaceX founder Elon Musk activated Starlink services in Ukraine shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Poland has provided funding for Ukraine’s Starlink subscriptions.
Earlier this year, Musk agreed to disable thousands of Starlink terminals reportedly used by Russian forces through unauthorized channels, disrupting some Russian military communications.
Ukrainian authorities have also sought to expand the use of satellite communications systems in military operations against Russian targets.
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