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Russia Turns to Turkish Mafia for Starlink Sabotage Attack in Poland
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![Photo of Ivan Khomenko]( "Photo of Ivan Khomenko")
Russian intelligence services may have recruited a Turkish organized crime group to carry out an arson attack on a Starlink ground station in Poland, potentially signaling a shift in Moscow’s sabotage operations across Europe.
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According to German magazine Der Spiegel on October 17, intelligence agencies from several countries are investigating possible links between the September 23 attack and the Daltons, a Turkish criminal organization operating across Europe.
Two Turkish nationals, identified as 38-year-old Ümit E. and 34-year-old Müslüm T., were arrested in Germany on October 12 at Poland’s request. Both are suspected of setting fire to a Starlink ground station in Wola Krobowska, southwest of Warsaw, and face possible extradition to Poland.
Investigators believe the suspects may have belonged to the Daltons or acted on the group’s instructions. The organization itself may have received the assignment from Russian intelligence services.
The Daltons are considered one of Europe’s most powerful Turkish criminal organizations, with operations involving extortion, arms trafficking, and contract killings.
According to Der Spiegel, the group’s suspected leader, Beratcan Gökdemir, was arrested in Russia in 2024. Despite Türkiye’s extradition request, German security officials believe Russian authorities may have provided him with protection and freedom of movement.
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Investigators are examining whether Moscow used this relationship to secure the group’s cooperation. Gökdemir’s current whereabouts remain unclear.
The September 23 fire destroyed electrical distribution equipment and antennas at the Starlink facility. Polish authorities classified the incident as deliberate sabotage and accused Russia of involvement.
Earlier, in May 2026, German authorities warned that Russia was increasingly using organized criminal networks to conduct sabotage, intimidation, and targeted attacks across Europe.
According to Spiegel, Moscow allegedly provides protection to certain criminal groups in exchange for their cooperation, allowing Russian intelligence to operate through intermediaries while obscuring direct links to the Kremlin.
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