Third suspect held as Poland's Starlink sabotage probe widens
German police arrested two Turkish nationals in Nürtingen and detained a third possible suspect in Berlin over the Starlink fire Poland blames on Russia.
Update ·
A third possible suspect, believed to be the men's driver, was detained in Berlin, Bild reports, as investigators cite fingerprint and DNA evidence.
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German police have arrested two Turkish nationals suspected of sabotaging a Starlink satellite internet station in Poland, detaining them in the town of Nürtingen in Baden-Württemberg, a special tactical police unit said. A third possible suspect, believed to be the men's driver, was detained in Berlin-Spandau, Germany's Bild newspaper reported. Polish officials say they suspect Russia ordered the attack.
Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland's minister coordinating the intelligence services, told a news conference that "we have no doubt that Russian services are behind this act of sabotage." He said Russian services were increasingly relying on people with ties to criminal networks to carry out such attacks, according to Der Spiegel.
A fire destroyed the power supply and a backup generator at the Starlink ground station, which belongs to Polish telecoms firm Exatel, in the village of Wola Krobowska, south of Warsaw, Poland's government said, adding that officials suspect deliberate sabotage.
Investigators cited fingerprint and DNA evidence linking the two arrested men to the scene, German media reported. One of the suspects is a Turkish national resident in Germany; the other faces a German deportation order. Both are expected to be transferred to Poland to face charges once legal proceedings in Germany conclude.
Moscow rejected the accusation, calling it "unfounded anti-Russian hysteria," according to Der Spiegel. For months, officials in several EU states have warned of suspected Russian sabotage, cyberattacks and other hybrid attacks across the continent, targeting infrastructure that supports Ukraine and its Western allies.
Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has played a significant role for Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Musk activated the service after Kyiv's government asked for support, and Poland has covered the cost of Ukraine's Starlink subscriptions, Der Spiegel reported. Ukraine's military relies on the network for battlefield communications and some drone operations.
What we know
- 1 outlet · WDR A fire destroyed the power supply and backup generator at a Starlink ground station in Wola Krobowska, south of Warsaw, run by Polish telecoms firm Exatel; Poland's government says it suspects sabotage.
- 1 outlet · WDR German police arrested two Turkish nationals in Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg, and detained a third possible suspect, believed to be their driver, in Berlin-Spandau, Bild reported.
- 1 outlet · WDR Investigators cited fingerprint and DNA evidence linking the two men to the scene; one is a Turkish national resident in Germany, the other faces a deportation order.
- 1 outlet · WDR Poland's intelligence-coordination minister, Tomasz Siemoniak, said Russian services are behind the attack.
- 1 outlet · WDR Moscow denies involvement, calling the accusation "unfounded anti-Russian hysteria."
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The incident fits a pattern Western officials have described for months: a Russian-linked campaign of hybrid sabotage and cyberattacks against infrastructure that supports Ukraine and its allies across Europe. Starlink terminals are used for Ukraine's military and civilian communications, so any disruption to the network's supporting infrastructure is a security concern beyond Poland's borders. The arrests also show German and Polish authorities cooperating closely across borders on a case Warsaw treats as a national security matter.
Updates
·
A third possible suspect, believed to be the men's driver, was detained in Berlin, Bild reports, as investigators cite fingerprint and DNA evidence.
First published.
Sources
Reported by 16 reports from 10 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- WDR: Nach Angriff: Großeinsatz der Polizei Bielefeld
- Zeit Online: Spurensicherung am Tatort: Mutmaßliche Schüsse in Bielefeld – mehrere Verletzte
- Stern: Spurensicherung am Tatort: Mutmaßliche Schüsse in Bielefeld – mehrere Verletzte
- WELT: Mutmaßliche Schüsse in Bielefeld – mehrere Verletzte
- Stern: Polizeieinsatz: Mögliche Schießerei in Bielefeld – mehrere Verletzte
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Where is the Starlink station and who owns it?
- The station is in the village of Wola Krobowska, south of Warsaw, and belongs to Polish telecoms firm Exatel.
- Who has been arrested or detained?
- German police arrested two Turkish nationals in Nürtingen and detained a third possible suspect, believed to be their driver, in Berlin-Spandau, Bild reported.
- Why does Poland blame Russia?
- Poland's intelligence-coordination minister said Russian services were behind the attack and increasingly use people with ties to criminal networks to carry such attacks out.
This article was written with AI assistance from 15 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.