Fire at Poland Starlink station 'sabotage', says minister
WARSAW: A fire broke out at a Starlink satellite communications station in central Poland overnight, the digital affairs minister said on Thursday, calling the blaze an act of “sabotage.”
A fire erupted at a Starlink satellite communications station in central Poland, according to digital affairs minister Krzysztof Gawkowski, who blamed the incident on sabotage. The minister stated that the fire, which occurred late on Wednesday, was deliberately set to disable the station, thereby disrupting internet access for various institutions, including the Ukrainian army.
Despite the blaze, the station remained operational. Gawkowski suggested that this episode signifies a new phase of hybrid warfare. The Starlink station, owned by state-owned telecommunications firm Exatel, facilitates internet traffic transmission across Poland, including to Ukraine, and is also utilized by SpaceX systems providing connectivity through Starlink terminals.
Gawkowski indicated that the ongoing investigation into the fire's origin suggests it aligns with Russia's emerging doctrine of attack. Poland, a NATO and EU member state situated along the alliance's eastern frontier, has frequently accused Russia of sabotage since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The country serves as the principal hub for transporting Western military and humanitarian assistance to Kyiv.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned earlier this month that Russia's strategies in the conflict with Ukraine encompass hybrid drone and missile strikes against Kyiv's allies.
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