Men suspected in Vilnius Starlink attack linked to Bulgaria

Two men suspected of trying to set fire to Starlink equipment in Vilnius are also suspected of targeting equipment in Bulgaria, Lithuanian law enforcement officials said, according to LRT.

The attempted arson took place on the night of October 18 at a company in Vilnius. The company’s operations were not disrupted, and the equipment was saved after a security guard reacted quickly, officials said. A fire broke out at the premises, but the equipment was not destroyed.

The suspects, both about 20 years old, are foreign citizens who live in Germany. One holds Turkish and German citizenship, and the other Serbian and German citizenship. They are now detained in Germany. Lithuanian officials said they had no known ties to Lithuania, arrived the day before the incident and left afterward.

On October 27, the men were named as suspects in a range of offences, including forming and participating in a terrorist group, arriving for terrorist purposes and terrorism. Prosecutors said the alleged offences are serious or very serious. Forming or participating in a terrorist group can carry a prison sentence of five to 15 years. The question of extraditing the suspects to Lithuania will be raised at a later stage of the investigation.

Lithuanian Criminal Police Bureau Deputy Chief Saulius Briginas said investigators see direct links between the suspects and attacks on Starlink antennas in Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria. Officials are working with law enforcement in Germany, Bulgaria and Poland, as well as intelligence agencies. They also suspect the men may have links to Russia.

Prime Minister Mindaugas Sinkevičius said the Vilnius company provides connectivity through nine Starlink satellite antennas used by Ukraine. He described the incident as potentially part of Russia’s hybrid warfare, citing similar incidents abroad.