Two Turkish citizens detained in Germany over fire at Polish Starlink station

German police detained two Turkish citizens over a fire at a Starlink station in Masovia, central Poland, in late September.

Polish officials say the suspects will face charges of sabotage and acting for a foreign intelligence service, and will be tried in Poland.

The station, owned by state telecommunications company Exatel, carries internet traffic through Poland, including to Ukraine.

The fire was intended to disrupt internet access, including for Ukraine’s military, according to Polish officials, but the station remained operational.

Ukraine’s military relies on many Starlink terminals for battlefield communications and some drone operations.

Polish officials allege Russian services were behind the attack, but the suspects’ detention does not establish who ordered it.

Poland says the arrests resulted from cooperation between its police and security agency and German services.

The suspects are expected to answer to Poland’s justice system; officials have not said where or when in Germany they were detained.