Fire at Poland Starlink station was ‘sabotage’, says minister

A fire erupted at a Starlink satellite communications station in central Poland, according to the country's digital affairs minister. Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that the incident was deemed an act of sabotage, deliberately aimed at disabling the station and disrupting internet access for various institutions, including the Ukrainian army.

The fire reportedly broke out late on Wednesday, and the station remains operational. Gawkowski added that there are strong indications this is part of a new Russian doctrine of attack. The Starlink station, owned by state-owned telecommunications company Exatel, is utilized for transmitting internet traffic through Poland, including to Ukraine, as well as by SpaceX systems providing connectivity via Starlink terminals.

Poland, a NATO and EU member state on the alliance's eastern flank, has accused Russia of sabotage several times since the country's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The nation serves as a key hub for transporting Western military and humanitarian aid to Kyiv. In recent months, Prime Minister Donald Tusk has warned that Russia's objectives in the conflict against Ukraine encompass hybrid drone and missile strikes against Kyiv's allies.