Polish officials are investigating a fire at a satellite ground station in Wola Krobowska, citing concerns of Russian-linked sabotage amid broader warnings of hybrid warfare in Europe.

A fire at a Starlink-linked satellite ground station in Wola Krobowska, Poland, is being investigated as a potential act of sabotage. Polish Deputy Prime Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that the incident, which occurred on Wednesday night, appears to be a deliberate attempt to disrupt critical telecommunications infrastructure that serves both Poland and Ukraine. While the investigation is ongoing, officials have noted that the incident aligns with the modus operandi associated with Russian hybrid warfare.

Facility and Incident Details

The affected facility, located in the Masovian Voivodeship, is owned by the Polish state telecommunications operator Exatel. It provides internet transmission services for various institutions, including SpaceX’s Starlink network, which is vital for Ukrainian military operations. Although the fire damaged a distribution panel, the station remains operational. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk noted that while he prefers to avoid definitive labels without absolute certainty, the situation appears suspicious.

Broader Context of Hybrid Threats

The incident occurs alongside increasing concerns across Europe regarding Russian hybrid activities. Denmark’s intelligence service recently warned of a growing risk of limited military attacks against NATO countries, while other European nations have reported recent security incidents, including drone activity and airspace violations. Separately, reports from the Ukrainian defense outlet Militarnyi indicate that Russian figures have proposed various methods to target Starlink infrastructure, ranging from electronic jamming and kinetic missile strikes to the detonation of nuclear devices in space.