The fire at the Starlink ground station near Warsaw on Wednesday night was recognized as an act of sabotage and part of a hybrid war against Poland. Krzysztof Gawkowski, the Polish Digital Minister, raised this issue on Thursday morning.
Details of the Fire
Gawkowski said: "This act of sabotage is an attempt to disrupt the operation of a critical station that is very important for the security and continuity of internet services in Ukraine." He did not directly accuse Russia of this incident but referred to his concerns about internet threats.
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Possible Consequences
The Digital Minister added: "These actions are aimed at cutting off the internet and disrupting the operation of essential services. These services may include the supply of water, gas, or electricity, as well as the financial system." The fire occurred in the village of Wola Krubowska, 50 kilometers south of Warsaw, causing significant damage but no injuries. The Polish counterintelligence agency and police are investigating the incident.
Operation of the Starlink Station
The mentioned station is managed by the state telecommunications company Exatel and establishes communications between Starlink satellites and terrestrial internet networks. Along with a station in Kaunas, Lithuania, this station serves users in Central European countries as well as Ukraine.
The Polish Digital Minister had previously warned that the country faces about 2,000 to 3,000 cyberattacks on its infrastructure daily. Additionally, Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, warned last week that NATO, Ukraine, and Poland's intelligence assessments indicate that Russia is planning to escalate hybrid attacks on countries supporting Kyiv, including Poland.
Tusk also stated that Moscow would portray these attacks as incidents to undermine NATO's collective response. Radosław Sikorski, Poland's Foreign Minister, urged Moscow to stop the war at the UN Security Council, referencing the West's economic superiority over Russia.
Sikorski said: "You can still kill a lot of people, but you cannot win. You can stop this imperialist war at any time."
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