Lithuania accuses Moscow of Starlink sabotage

Vilnius, Lithuania – The country’s prime minister, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, accused Russia on Sunday of being responsible for a suspected arson attack on a company that houses communication hardware for Starlink satellites. The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday when authorities found flammable liquids at the company. Sinkevicius stated that the company, which he did not reveal the location of, houses nine satellite antennas to ensure Starlink connectivity, which supports Ukraine.

He added, "The fact is this was clearly an attempt at sabotage or a diversion, since we are seeing similar actions happening again and again across Europe. It is obvious this is part of the hybrid war being waged by Russia, involving acts of sabotage." Sinkevicius expressed the hope that the instigator would be identified and that more information would emerge about the event.

Ukraine utilizes Starlink's military-grade satellite service, Starshield, for battlefield communications, strikes on Russia-occupied territories, and its interceptor drones. It also employs SpaceX's civilian Starlink satellite system. President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned on Friday that Starlink services in Ukraine are still being restored, following his earlier complaints about partial restrictions hindering the military's ability to defend against Russian forces.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk claimed any disruption was the responsibility of the US government, not his company. Recent attacks on Starlink service sites have been reported across Europe, including a satellite station in central Poland set ablaze in September, and an investigation underway in Bulgaria after an opposition claim that antennas linked to the Starlink network were set on fire.

Additionally, a drone entered Lithuania from Poland on Sunday before exploding in the country's north, damaging a car. According to Lithuanian authorities, the object entered Lithuanian airspace from Poland, though Warsaw had not reported the drone.