Bulgarians initiated an investigation into the burning of Starlink antennas. "Why doesn't our prime minister point to Russia like Tusk?"
Quick Look
- Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev assures that the investigation into the burning of Starlink antennas near Sofia is under control, while the opposition accuses him of lacking courage in naming Russia as the perpetrator, comparing his attitude to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk's clear accusation of Russia in a similar case in Poland.
- Attacks on Starlink infrastructure also occurred in Poland and Germany, and Bulgarian prosecutors are investigating without bringing charges.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Attacks on Starlink infrastructure occurred in Bulgaria, Poland and Germany in October and September 2026. Starlink antennas are used to provide communications with SpaceX, including during the war in Ukraine. The Bulgarian opposition accuses the government of lacking courage in naming Russia as the perpetrator, comparing Prime Minister Radev's attitude to the clear accusation of Russia by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in a similar case in Poland.
The investigation is extremely intense. We are working with partner agencies to successfully carry out this operation, said Prime Minister Rumen Radev, assuring that the situation is "under control".
Bozhidar Bozhanov, leader of the opposition Democratic Bulgaria (DB) coalition, accused the head of government of lacking courage in clearly identifying Russia as the potential perpetrator of the attack. He compared Radew's actions to the reaction of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who clearly pointed to the Russian services in a similar case in Poland. Why are you afraid to point out Russia? Why don't you act like Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who pointed out Russia in a similar case in Poland? – Bozhanov asked during a stormy parliamentary debate.
Sabotage or coincidence? What do we know about the attack?
According to the opposition, on the night of October 9-10, two masked men allegedly set fire to 11 of the 17 Starlink antennas in a secret facility near Sofia. These antennas provided a crucial connection to SpaceX and were used during the war in Ukraine. The prosecutor's office confirmed that it was conducting an investigation, but no charges have been brought against anyone at this stage.
Bulgaria's Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivan Demerdzhiev, announced the immediate strengthening of the protection of similar facilities in the country.
Attacks on Starlink also in Poland and Germany
This is not the first incident of this type in Europe. On September 23, there was a fire at the Starlink terrestrial station in Poland, in Wola Krobowska in Masovia. The investigation conducted by the Polish prosecutor's office concerns an act of sabotage and a terrorist offense on behalf of foreign intelligence.
Several people suspected of involvement in these attacks have already been detained in Germany, including two Turkish citizens and a 25-year-old woman from Berlin.
Russian traces and political pressure
Both the Bulgarian opposition and the Polish government have no doubt: Russian intelligence services may be behind the attacks. The Bulgarian government is currently under enormous pressure – not only from the opposition, but also from NATO allies. For several days, Sofia has also been struggling with a series of attacks on ships off the Black Sea coast, for which Russia was officially blamed.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The Bulgarian prosecutor's office will present the results of its investigation into the Starlink attacks in the next few weeks.
Likely · Within weeks
Tensions between Bulgaria and Russia will escalate unless the Bulgarian government provides clear evidence or takes a clear stance against accusations of Russian involvement in the attacks.
Likely · Within weeks
Open Questions
- Who exactly is behind the attacks on Starlink antennas in Bulgaria?
- Is there evidence linking Russian intelligence services to these incidents?
- Why does the Bulgarian government avoid clearly accusing Russia despite pressure from the opposition and NATO?
- Are attacks on ships off the Black Sea coast related to attacks on Starlink infrastructure?
