Poland says two Turkish nationals detained in Germany over Starlink station fire, with officials alleging a Russian intelligence role

Two Turkish nationals detained in Germany over a September fire at a Starlink ground station in Poland are expected to be transferred to Poland and charged with sabotage on behalf of a foreign intelligence service, Polish officials said. Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said the alleged attack was sabotage; Special Services Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said Polish authorities had “no doubt” that Russian intelligence was behind it.

The fire broke out on September 23 at the ground station in Wola Krobowska, central Poland, damaging its power system and backup generator. Polish officials said the suspected aim was to disrupt Starlink internet services, including those used by Ukraine’s military. The arrests in Germany followed evidence gathered by Polish police, the Internal Security Agency and prosecutors, according to Polish media reports.

Polish prosecutors opened an investigation into suspected sabotage for a foreign intelligence service and said investigators were examining whether the fire was intended to disrupt Starlink communications in Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. Ukraine’s military uses Starlink terminals for battlefield communications and some drone operations.