A Starlink ground station was deliberately set on fire in Poland, prompting an investigation that has now expanded across the German border. Polish officials accuse Russian intelligence of ordering the attack targeting critical satellite internet infrastructure—including systems used in Ukraine.

The probe intensified Tuesday as additional detentions were confirmed beyond two Turkish nationals arrested Monday. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński stated police, the Internal Security Agency, and prosecutors assembled evidence for the arrests, with European arrest warrants enabling custody in Germany.

Tomasz Siemoniak, Poland’s intelligence minister, directly blamed Russian services for orchestrating the sabotage, noting that Moscow increasingly recruits individuals tied to criminal networks to execute such operations. The ministry described a coordinated effort involving Polish authorities and European partners, emphasizing Poland supplied the evidence for the arrests.

The target was infrastructure owned by Poland’s state telecommunications operator Exatel, which serves regions including Ukraine. Investigators documented the suspects’ movements in Poland and obtained recordings, fingerprints, and DNA evidence. One suspect holds German residency while the other does not.

Polish officials confirmed a possible fourth detention pending further assessment by prosecutors, though no details were released about the individual’s role or nationality. The case underscores vulnerabilities in ground-based satellite systems despite their critical global use.

Russian intelligence has rejected European accusations as baseless, but Poland asserts its evidence meets legal standards for prosecution. The investigation continues to focus on establishing who directed the attack and whether additional actors remain active in targeting infrastructure far from conflict zones.