Russian intelligence may have hired a Turkish crime gang to set fire to a Starlink ground station in Poland, Spiegel reports

A Turkish criminal gang, known as the Daltons, may have been hired by Russian intelligence to set fire to a Starlink ground station in Poland, according to a report by Der Spiegel. The incident occurred on September 23 in Wola Krobowska, Poland's Masovian province. Polish authorities deemed the fire a deliberate act of sabotage, attributing it to Russia.

On October 12, two Turkish citizens were arrested in Germany at Poland's request, suspected of involvement in the arson attack. The arrested men, identified as Ümit E., 38, and Müslüm T., 34, are believed to be either members of the Daltons or acting under their direction. The arrested individuals are set to face extradition proceedings in Stuttgart.

Experts suggest that Russian intelligence has primarily utilized low-level agents, such as petty criminals, to carry out sabotage in Europe. If the involvement of the Daltons in the Poland attack is confirmed, it would suggest a shift in Russian intelligence strategy. The Daltons were formed in 2024 and are primarily composed of young individuals born in 2000 or later.

In the past, the gang has been linked to various criminal activities, including murder, arms trafficking, and contract killings. The Daltons' leader, Beratcan Gökdemir, was arrested in Russia in 2024, but Turkey has yet to receive his extradition.