Poland reports arrests of two Turkish citizens in Germany related to Starlink station fire

Polish authorities have reported the arrests of two Turkish citizens in Germany in connection with alleged sabotage of a Starlink station last month. Prime Minister Donald Tusk characterized the fire as an act of hybrid warfare. On Monday, Polish officials stated that the two Turkish citizens were detained in Germany regarding the fire at a Starlink station in Poland. The satellite-based Starlink internet service is widely utilized by the military of Ukraine amid the ongoing Russian invasion. Officials from several EU countries have expressed concerns about increasing Russian sabotage, cyber, and hybrid attacks across Europe, which aim to undermine support for Ukraine or directly impact the country. Specific details regarding the location or timing of the arrests in Germany were not provided by Polish officials. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski announced the arrests on Monday, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk following up on social media. "On behalf of Polish services, German police detained two Turkish citizens suspected of setting fire to a Starlink station in Masovia," he stated. "This is another act of hybrid warfare. The perpetrators of the sabotage will answer before the Polish justice system." Masovia is the province that includes the Polish capital, Warsaw, and is located near Poland's eastern borders with Belarus and Ukraine. Poland's Special Services Minister Tomasz Siemoniak suggested that Russia was involved in the incident. He also mentioned at a press conference that Russian services are increasingly collaborating with individuals connected to the criminal underworld for such attacks. Russia typically dismisses European claims of hybrid warfare or systemic sabotage as anti-Russian hysteria or disinformation.