On Wednesday evening, September 23, a fire broke out at the Starlink satellite communications ground station in Wola Krobowskie (Masovian Voivodeship, Poland). According to preliminary data from firefighters, cited by radio R MF24, it was arson.
On Wednesday evening, September 23, a fire broke out at the Starlink satellite communications ground station in Wola Krobowskie (Masovian Voivodeship, Poland). According to preliminary data from firefighters, cited by radio R MF24, it was arson.
The fire was reported to the services by the owner of the site where the station is located — according to him, the antennas were burning. Three fire crews arrived at the scene, and the fire was extinguished without any injuries. The fire also damaged the generator.
According to the preliminary version of the firefighters, the station’s switchboard could have been set on fire — although they do not rule out the version of a short circuit in the electrical wiring. The Internal Security Agency (ABW) and the Central Police Investigation Bureau (CBŚP) are investigating the circumstances; who exactly could have been behind the possible arson and what the motive was — is currently unknown.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digitalization of Poland Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that sabotage cannot be ruled out, and in a comment to TVN24 called the situation a possible element of hybrid warfare.
The station in Wola Krobovska, together with a similar ground station in the Kaunas region of Lithuania, provides Internet access via the Starlink network to a significant part of Central and Eastern Europe — including Ukraine. According to Hawkowski, the operator of the Mazovian station is the state-owned telecommunications company Exatel.
