TL;DR
Get travel and outdoor gear delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Der Spiegel reports that Russian intelligence may have recruited members or associates of Turkey’s Daltons criminal gang to set fire to a Starlink ground station in Poland on September 23. Two Turkish citizens arrested in Germany at Poland’s request are suspected of involvement; a Stuttgart court is expected to decide whether to extradite them. The alleged Russian role and the suspects’ links to the gang have not been independently established in the report.
Two Turkish citizens arrested in Germany are suspected of involvement in a September fire at a Starlink ground station in Poland, and Russian intelligence may have recruited them through the Daltons criminal gang, Der Spiegel reported, citing sources. The alleged Russian role has not been established publicly; a court in Stuttgart is expected to decide whether to extradite the men to Poland.
The fire broke out on September 23 at a Starlink satellite ground station in Wola Krobowska, in Poland’s Masovian province. Polish authorities described it as a deliberate act of sabotage and blamed Russia, according to Meduza’s account of the reporting. Der Spiegel’s account adds the possibility that Russian intelligence services hired the Daltons to carry out the attack.
At Poland’s request, German authorities arrested two Turkish citizens on October 12 in Nürtingen. Der Spiegel identified them as Ümit E., 38, and Müslüm T., 34. The outlet reported that they may belong to the Daltons or may have acted under the direction of people associated with the gang. Those reported links, like the alleged Russian recruitment, remain claims rather than established findings.
A court in Stuttgart is expected to decide in the coming days whether the men will be extradited to Poland. The source material does not report charges, evidence presented in court, or statements from the suspects. The extradition decision would determine whether they are sent to Poland to face the country’s legal process; it would not by itself establish responsibility for the fire.
A Possible Shift in Sabotage Recruitment
If the reported connection is confirmed, the case could suggest that Russian intelligence used a more organized criminal network for sabotage in Europe, rather than relying only on individuals recruited for isolated, low-paid tasks. Der Spiegel described such low-level agents as the model Russian services have relied on primarily so far; it said Daltons involvement, if confirmed, would point to a change in approach.
The target was a Starlink ground station, making the incident relevant to communications infrastructure as well as public security. The available report does not specify the station’s role, the extent of damage, or whether service was disrupted. Those details matter in gauging the practical effects of the fire and the security implications of the alleged plot.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
The Daltons and Earlier Allegations
The Daltons gang was formed in 2024. Meduza, summarizing Der Spiegel and other reporting, says the group has been linked to criminal activity in Turkey and other European countries, including extortion, arms trafficking and contract killings. These descriptions provide background on the group but do not independently establish that its members took part in the Polish arson.
Der Spiegel reported that the gang’s leader, Beratcan Gökdemir, was arrested in Russia in 2024. Turkey sought his extradition, but Russia did not hand him over, according to the report. The outlet said experts had speculated that the Kremlin might have hoped to gain something from the Daltons. It remains unclear whether Gökdemir is still in Russia, and the source material does not establish a connection between his case and the fire.
“The fire was a deliberate act of sabotage.”
— Polish authorities, as reported by Meduza
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Links Remain Unverified
The reporting does not establish who started the fire or what evidence links the two arrested men to it. It is also unclear whether the men are Daltons members, acted at the direction of gang supporters, or had any connection to Russian intelligence. The reported Russian role is attributed to Der Spiegel’s sources, while Poland’s attribution of the fire to Russia is an official claim described in the source material.
The source material does not give details about the station’s damage or operational impact, the suspects’ responses, or the evidence German and Polish authorities have disclosed. It also does not say whether authorities have publicly charged anyone in connection with the attack. The court’s extradition decision will be a procedural development, not a final determination of guilt.
rolling backpack for European travel
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Extradition Decision in Stuttgart
The immediate expected development is a Stuttgart court ruling on Poland’s request to extradite the two men. If they are sent to Poland, further information may emerge through legal proceedings, including the allegations and evidence authorities are prepared to present. The source material does not provide a specific hearing or ruling date.
Readers should also watch for official statements from German and Polish authorities and any response from the suspects or their representatives. Until evidence is made public and the case proceeds through the courts, the alleged gang involvement and Russian intelligence connection should be treated as unconfirmed.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
What happened at the Starlink station in Poland?
A fire broke out on September 23 at a Starlink satellite ground station in Wola Krobowska. Polish authorities called it deliberate sabotage and blamed Russia, according to the report summarized by Meduza.
Who was arrested in connection with the fire?
German authorities arrested two Turkish citizens in Nürtingen on October 12 at Poland’s request. Der Spiegel identified them as Ümit E., 38, and Müslüm T., 34, and reported that they are suspected of involvement.
Is Russian intelligence’s involvement confirmed?
No. Der Spiegel reported, citing sources, that Russian intelligence may have hired the Daltons or people associated with the gang. The source material does not establish that allegation as fact.
Are the suspects confirmed members of the Daltons?
No. Der Spiegel reported that they may belong to the gang or may have acted at the direction of its supporters. Their status and the strength of any connection remain unclear.
What happens next?
A court in Stuttgart is expected to decide in the coming days whether to extradite the men to Poland. That decision concerns their transfer and would not itself determine whether they are guilty.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
