German investigators have arrested two Turkish men in connection with the September arson that knocked out a Starlink ground station in Poland, an attack Warsaw pins on Russian intelligence.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk disclosed the detentions on Monday evening, telling reporters the pair was taken into custody at the request of Poland’s security services. He described the fire as “a further act of hybrid warfare” and pledged that the perpetrators would face the Polish justice system.
The arrests, according to interior minister Marcin Kierwinski, resulted from cooperation among Polish police, the Internal Security Agency and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office. Tomasz Siemoniak, the minister with oversight of the security services, stated that Warsaw harbors no doubt Russian intelligence directed the operation and noted that Moscow increasingly turns to people tied to criminal networks.
The fire that started it all
Flames broke out late on September 23 at a site in Wola Krobowska, about 50 kilometers from Warsaw. Owned and run by Exatel, the country’s state-owned telecom carrier, the facility serves as a link where Starlink signals leave orbit and connect to underground cable routes feeding Ukraine.
A day later, Krzysztof Gawkowski, who holds the digital affairs portfolio, said investigators had confirmed deliberate intent and detected telltale Russian traits.
Polish authorities indicate the suspects will likely be charged with sabotage for a foreign intelligence service, an offense carrying a minimum of 10 years and potentially life behind bars.
A pattern across Poland
Poland has emerged as a leading target of Russian sabotage in Europe. Suspected attacks in recent months struck water systems, energy sites and hospitals, and a rail line toward the Ukrainian border was damaged. Ukraine’s military intelligence warned in early October that Moscow had directed its spy agencies to intensify operations against satellite ground stations throughout Europe.
