Investigators are examining whether members of a Turkish organised crime group carried out a suspected Russian-backed sabotage attack on a Starlink terminal in Poland, following the arrest of two Turkish nationals in Germany.
Polish authorities are investigating a possible link between a fire at a Starlink satellite internet terminal and the Turkish organised crime group known as the Daltons, amid suspicions that Russian intelligence services may have commissioned the operation.
According to German news magazine Der Spiegel, multiple independent sources from several countries have pointed to the Daltons as a possible link in the investigation. Members of the group may have carried out the alleged sabotage on behalf of Russian intelligence services, although the claims have not been conclusively established.
The incident occurred on September 23 at a Starlink facility in Wola Krobowska, central Poland. The satellite internet network is strategically important to Ukraine, where military forces rely on Starlink connectivity to coordinate operations during Russia’s ongoing war.
The Polish government has described the fire as a deliberate act of sabotage and has pointed to Russia as a suspected instigator.
Two Turkish Nationals Arrested in Germany
The investigation took a significant turn on Monday when German authorities arrested two Turkish nationals in Nürtingen, Baden-Württemberg, following a Polish request for legal assistance and the issuance of European arrest warrants.
Polish investigators suspect the men were involved in the attack on the Starlink terminal.
Der Spiegel identified the suspects as Ümit E., 38, and Müslüm T., 34. The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart is expected to decide on their extradition to Poland.
Security sources reportedly believe the men may be members of the Daltons or may have acted on instructions from individuals associated with the group.
Investigators are also examining the possibility that the criminal organisation received instructions from Russian intelligence services.
These alleged connections remain under investigation, and the arrests do not establish the suspects’ guilt.
Who Are the Daltons?
The Daltons are a Turkish organised crime group whose members have been linked to criminal activities in Turkey, Germany and other European countries.
The group has reportedly been involved in extortion, arms trafficking and contract killings, making it a subject of concern for European law enforcement agencies.
Its alleged leader, Beratcan Gökdemir, was arrested in Russia in 2024 after Turkey sought his extradition.
However, according to information cited by Der Spiegel, German security officials believe Russian authorities allowed Gökdemir to remain in the country and may have offered him protection.
Security experts have speculated that Moscow could have expected something in return from the criminal organisation. It remains unclear whether Gökdemir is still in Russia.
Investigators have yet to establish whether the Daltons played a direct role in the Polish incident or whether any involvement was coordinated by Russian intelligence.
Germany Warns of Russian Use of Criminal Networks
The investigation comes amid warnings from German authorities that Russia could be expanding its use of organised crime networks to conduct sabotage operations across Europe.
In May, Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior told the Greens, in response to an inquiry, that cooperation between Russian state actors and organised crime figures could be particularly suited to operations involving sabotage or targeted killings.
Previously, suspected Russian operations in Germany and other European countries had reportedly relied on intelligence officers and so-called low-level agents.
These individuals have included petty criminals recruited to carry out relatively small assignments for limited payments, often without knowing who was behind the operation or its broader objectives.
If investigators establish that members of the Daltons were involved in the Starlink attack, the case could indicate a shift towards the use of more established and capable criminal organisations.
Such a development would raise further concerns about the potential intersection between organised crime and state-directed sabotage in Europe.
Starlink Infrastructure Faces Growing Security Concerns
The Polish incident is not the only reported fire involving Starlink infrastructure in the region.
A Starlink station in Bulgaria also caught fire in September, raising additional questions about the security of satellite communications facilities.
However, the available information does not establish whether the Bulgarian incident was connected to the fire in Poland.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, provides satellite-based internet connectivity across multiple countries. Its role in Ukraine has made the service particularly significant during the war, including for communications supporting military operations.
An attack on infrastructure supporting the network could therefore have implications beyond the immediate location of the incident.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the Polish fire and the possible involvement of the two arrested men.
German Intelligence Chief Warns of Growing Threat
The case comes as Germany’s domestic intelligence service warns of an increasingly complex threat environment involving a combination of different methods and actors.
On Monday, Sinan Selen, president of Germany’s Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, warned of a growing threat potential without explicitly naming Russia in his remarks.
He said that a broad range of attack methods and actors were being deployed in a coordinated manner.
Selen also warned that those responsible were prepared to accept fatalities and deliberately cause serious damage.
His remarks underscore growing concerns among European security agencies about the potential for covert operations to involve a mixture of intelligence networks, criminal organisations and individuals recruited to carry out specific tasks.
For Polish investigators, the central questions remain whether the Starlink fire was part of a wider sabotage campaign, whether the Daltons were involved and whether any operation was directed by Russian intelligence services.
No publicly established evidence has yet conclusively confirmed the alleged chain of responsibility.
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