Polish prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into a fire at a Starlink satellite communications ground station in the village of Wola-Krobowska in the Masovian Voivodeship. Investigators are considering the possibility of sabotage and a terrorist-type offence carried out in the interests of a foreign intelligence service.
This was reported by Przemysław Nowak, spokesperson for Poland’s National Prosecutor’s Office, PAP writes.
According to Nowak, preliminary information indicates that the fire may have been started deliberately.
“Based on the information available at this stage, it follows that the fire occurred as a result of arson,” he said.
The prosecutor’s office also has grounds to suspect that individuals acting on instructions from Russian special services may have been involved in the incident.
“The aim of their actions was to disrupt the operation and internet connectivity of the Starlink system in Poland and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe,” the spokesperson said.
On Thursday, prosecutors carried out the necessary investigative steps at the scene of the fire, including an inspection of the area and interviews with witnesses. Officers from Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the Central Police Investigation Bureau (CBŚP) were also involved.
Nowak stressed that the proceedings are currently being conducted in relation to the case itself, rather than against specific individuals. No suspects have yet been officially named as part of the investigation.
- On the evening of 23 September, a fire broke out at the Starlink satellite communications ground base station in Wola-Krobowska in the Masovian Voivodeship. This is infrastructure that provides internet connectivity for this region of Europe, including Ukraine.