Starlink Station Providing Communications for Ukraine Burned Down in Poland—Investigators Suspect Arson

A Starlink satellite ground station, which provides internet access to users in Europe—including Ukraine—was likely set on fire in Poland.

This was reported by Reuters, citing Polish Minister of Digital Affairs Krzysztof Gawkowski.

The fire occurred in the Polish village of Wola Krobowska in the Masovian Voivodeship.

The fire broke out late in the evening on September 23 in an electrical distribution cabinet to which the station’s antennas are connected. A power generator was also damaged.

According to RMF24, while inspecting the scene near the burned-out distribution cabinet, law enforcement officers discovered a bottle containing a flammable substance.

It is believed that this may indicate the use of a homemade incendiary device. As a result, Polish authorities are investigating the possibility of arson.

Police officers and agents from the Polish Internal Security Agency are working at the scene. Law enforcement officials are determining the circumstances of the incident and identifying possible suspects.

Gawkowski stated that the nature of the damage and the circumstances of the incident point to a deliberate attempt to disable the station. According to him, this could have led to an interruption in internet connectivity for various institutions, including the Ukrainian military.

In addition, Deputy Minister of National Defence Cezary Tomczyk, in an interview with an RMF FM reporter, called for the possibility of sabotage to be considered.

At the same time, Polish authorities have not yet reported identifying a suspect nor have they claimed that Russia was involved in the incident.

The ground station in Wola Krobowska is part of the Starlink infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe. The facility is operated by Exatel, a Polish state-owned telecommunications company.

Earlier, Militarnyi reported that the German Federal Ministry of the Interior intends to develop a set of measures to counter Russian sabotage, particularly cyberattacks.