Fire at Starlink Station Providing Communication with Ukraine: Investigation Links to Turkish Criminal Group

German law enforcement authorities have detained two Turkish citizens suspected of involvement in the arson of a satellite communication station in Poland. According to the magazine Spiegel, the attack may have been organized by members of the Turkish criminal group "Daltons," allegedly acting on behalf of Russian intelligence services. This was reported by the LETA agency, citing "Meduza." The incident occurred late on September 23 in the village of Wola Krobowska in the Mazovian Voivodeship of Poland. The facility belongs to the state telecommunications company Exatel and is used for transmitting internet traffic through Poland, including to Ukraine. The station is also utilized by SpaceX systems providing satellite communication through Starlink terminals. Despite the fire, the facility continued to operate. ## Polish Authorities Called the Incident a Planned Sabotage On September 24, Poland's Minister of Digitalization Krzysztof Gawkowski stated that the arson was aimed at disrupting the operation of an important communication facility. According to him, the attack was deliberately planned to halt the station's operation and thereby interrupt internet access for various institutions, including the Ukrainian army. However, the attackers did not succeed in stopping the station's operation. ## Suspects Detained in Germany On October 12, two Turkish citizens were detained in the German city of Nürtingen at the request of Polish authorities. According to Spiegel, they are 38-year-old Yumit E. and 34-year-old Müslüm T. The publication reports that both are allegedly connected to the Turkish criminal group "Daltons" or may have been carrying out its orders. The Stuttgart court is expected to consider the extradition of the detainees to Poland in the coming days. There are currently no officially confirmed conclusions regarding who ordered the arson. ## Why the Investigation is Considering a Russian Connection Spiegel suggests that the Turkish criminal group may have received an order for the sabotage from Russian intelligence services. The German publication notes that previously, when organizing alleged sabotage in Europe, Russian intelligence services predominantly used so-called low-level agents—petty criminals who agreed to carry out tasks for relatively small rewards. If the involvement of the "Daltons" is confirmed, it may indicate a change in the approach to organizing such operations, Spiegel notes. At the same time, the possible connection of the group with Russian intelligence services remains a theory rather than an established fact. ## What is Known About the "Daltons" Group The criminal group "Daltons" was created in 2024. According to the haqqin publication, its members are predominantly young people born in 2000 or later. The group is linked to serious crimes in Turkey, including the murder of a well-known lawyer and member of the Nationalist Movement Party, Serdar Oktay, who was shot in a car in Istanbul. According to media reports, members of the "Daltons" also operate in Germany and other European countries. Their activities are associated with extortion for "protection," arms trafficking, and contract killings. ## The Group's Leader Was Detained in Russia Spiegel pays particular attention to the fate of the alleged leader of the "Daltons," Beratcan Gökdemir. According to the publication, he was detained in Russia in 2024. Turkish authorities requested his extradition, but Moscow did not hand him over to Ankara. Some experts suggest that Russian authorities may have hoped to receive certain services from the group in exchange for not extraditing its leader. However, there is no documentary evidence of such an agreement. It is also unknown whether Gökdemir is still in Russia. The investigation into the arson of the station in Poland is ongoing. The possible involvement of the Turkish criminal group and Russian intelligence services still needs to be established.