Polish prosecutors open sabotage probe into fire at Starlink hub aiding Ukraine

Ground station fire in Wola Krobowska

Firefighters received an emergency alert shortly after 21:00 on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, reporting a fire at a telecommunications antenna site in Wola Krobowska, located in Grójec County south of Warsaw. Three crews from the State Fire Service responded to the scene and extinguished flames on the power supply casing attached to the satellite ground installation. Junior Captain Michał Maroszek from the Grójec fire command confirmed that the fire was put out without any injuries. Senior Aspirant Marcin Sawicki of the Radom regional police stated that the station was shut down due to damage sustained by its power sources, while local authorities temporarily closed the adjacent road to secure the area. The antennas sit on a rural settlement plot surrounded by orchards and fields, an arrangement selected on an emergency basis because the system required immediate land, electrical power, and fiber optic cabling.

Sabotage investigation and hybrid warfare concerns

The District Prosecutor's Office in Grójec initiated a formal investigation into suspected sabotage on 24 September, with oversight potentially transferring to the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Radom. Prosecutor Aneta Góźdź announced that investigators are securing surveillance camera footage to determine the exact sequence of events and identify any third parties involved. Officers from the Internal Security Agency (ABW), the Central Police Investigation Bureau (CBŚP), and the Government Centre for Security (RCB) joined the inquiry to evaluate whether the incident stemmed from an electrical short circuit or intentional arson. Polish Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński noted that emergency services and prosecutors are examining every lead, while government spokesman Adam Szłapka stated that every incident of this nature must undergo full security verification.

“It is about actions aimed at shutting down the internet and disrupting the functioning of basic services. These may concern the supply of water, gas or electricity, as well as the financial system.”

Exatel operations and satellite network status

Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that the fire was an attempt to disrupt internet continuity for Ukrainian institutions, including the Ukrainian armed forces. Gawkowski noted that while direct Russian responsibility has not been confirmed, the pattern aligns with Russian hybrid attack methods designed to paralyze essential utilities. State-owned telecommunications operator Exatel clarified that it subleases the land in Wola Krobowska to SpaceX and supplies data transmission services without owning ground or satellite equipment on the property. Exatel confirmed that none of its internal systems suffered damage and that company operations continued normally. The ground station links to the Starlink satellite network operated by SpaceX subsidiary Starlink Services LLC, which maintains thousands of low-orbit spacecraft. According to constellation tracking data from KeepTrack, 12,962 Starlink satellites had been launched by 23 September 2026, with 11,139 operational in orbit at an average altitude of 550 kilometers.

Active in orbit11,139

Total launched12,962

Active in orbit

11139 satellites

Total launched

12962 satellites

Data from the article text