Lithuania Suspects Russia After Attack on Starlink Equipment

Lithuania suspects Russia was behind an attempted arson attack on a company storing Starlink satellite communications equipment, the country's prime minister said Sunday, describing the incident as part of Moscow's alleged “hybrid war” against Europe.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said an attempt was made at about 2 a.m. to burn satellite antennas and a control unit, with incendiary liquids and containers ranging in capacity from three to 10 litres found at the site.

“Just after midnight last night, there was another incident – an attempt was made to set fire to a Lithuanian company where Starlink communications equipment is stored. The authorities had warned the company about possible attacks, security had been stepped up, and the attempt failed,” Sinkevičius wrote in a post on Facebook.

"The fact is that this was clearly an attempted act of sabotage or diversion, as we are seeing similar actions repeated across Europe. It is obvious that […] this is part of Russia’s hybrid war, involving acts of sabotage,” Sinkevičius told LRT radio.

“We will learn more about who ordered it, how everything happened and who was behind it. It is likely that it is already clear who commissioned it – it is the Russian side,” he added.

Lithuanian authorities have opened an investigation after the attempted arson attack, Sinkevičius said.

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has played a significant role in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, providing satellite connectivity for military communications, reconnaissance and drone operations when conventional networks are damaged or unavailable. The system has come under renewed scrutiny after Ukrainian officials reported restrictions this week that disrupted some military operations. Zelenskyy suggested the disruption was deliberate, an allegation denied by the White House and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

This is a developing story and will be updated.