A satellite image taken on April 13, 2026 shows the area of a ground-based Starlink satellite communications station in Wola Krobowska, Poland. The station burned down on September 23, 2026, in what the government suspects was an act of sabotage, according to Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski.
USA TODAY Network, Reuters
Two Turkish citizens detained in connection with an attack on a Starlink station were acting on orders from Russia, Polish officials announced Monday, Oct. 12.
“We have no doubt that Russian services are behind this act of sabotage, and it is worth adding that Russian services are increasingly turning to individuals linked to the criminal underworld,” Polish Special Services Minister Tomasz Siemoniak said Monday.
The attack on the Starlink station came in September in Wola Krobowska, almost 200 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine. Starlink, Elon Musk’s system of satellites providing internet in remote areas, has been integral to Ukraine’s ability to repel Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
According to Siemoniak, the act of “sabotage” was ordered by Russian intelligence services. The two Turkish citizens were detained in Germany on Monday. Further details about the two people and their connection to the attack were not immediately available.
The attack left the station’s power system and backup generator engulfed in flames. Poland officials at the time said they suspected Russian sabotage aimed at disrupting internet service for Ukraine’s military.
Siemoniak’s announcement of suspected Russian involvement in the attack is the latest in what European officials have dubbed Russia’s “hybrid” war, meaning efforts by President Vladimir Putin to undermine European support for Ukraine.
The announcement of suspected Russian involvement comes just days after President Donald Trump announced he had inked a deal with Putin to import Russian oil into the United States, a move condemned by several Republicans and seen as dubious by financial analysts.
USA TODAY has reached out to the White House for comment. The Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other suspected acts of Russian sabotage include an attempted bombing at an airport in Germany in August, drones disrupting air traffic at six Danish airports in the fall of 2025 and ongoing cyberattacks throughout the region.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement in suspected attacks.
SpaceX, the owner of Starlink, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Poland accuses Russian intelligence of sabotaging Elon Musk’s Starlink
Reporting by Michael Loria, USA TODAY / USA TODAY
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 7:05 PM.
