Starlink Ground Station Near Warsaw Hit by Fire, Poland Suspects Sabotage
A fire broke out late on Wednesday at a Starlink ground station south of Warsaw that helps carry internet traffic to Ukraine. Poland’s digital affairs minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, said on Thursday that it looked like sabotage.
Speaking to public broadcaster TVP Info, Gawkowski suggested the blaze was designed to knock the station offline and disrupt internet access for various entities, including Ukraine’s armed forces. He described it as potentially part of a new phase of hybrid warfare, though the station remained operational.
The site, located in Wola Krobowska, approximately 40km from the capital, is operated by Exatel, a state-owned telecommunications company, and connects Starlink satellites to ground networks in Poland and beyond. The fire primarily damaged the station’s power supply, distribution board, and generator, according to Euronews. Firefighters extinguished the blaze, and no injuries were reported.
Investigators are taking a more cautious approach than Gawkowski. Initial findings suggest a deliberate fire, but an electrical fault has not been ruled out. Police are leading the investigation, with the Internal Security Agency also notified. Jacek Dobrzyński, spokesperson for the minister in charge of security services, noted that not every arson attack constitutes sabotage. He stated that police were exploring various possibilities, from arson to a short circuit.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk echoed these sentiments, indicating Russia’s involvement had not been proven but emphasizing the need to treat the incident as part of hybrid warfare. Poland has previously accused Russia of sabotage on its soil multiple times since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The ground station holds significance beyond Poland. Gawkowski warned that losing such a hub could disrupt internet access in parts of Poland, Europe, and Ukraine, potentially affecting ATMs. Warsaw also utilizes Starlink for much of Ukraine’s military, which relies on the service at the front. This dependence on one US provider is a factor driving the EU’s development of its own sovereign satellite network.
By Alina Maria Stan