Bulgaria Requests Extradition of Two Germans Over Suspected Starlink Sabotage Near Sofia

Bulgaria on Monday issued European arrest warrants for two 19-year-old German nationals, suspected of involvement in the sabotage of multiple Starlink satellite antennas near the capital, Sofia.

According to a Sofia court ruling that granted prosecutors’ request, “the evidence gathered makes it possible to conclude that there are reasonable grounds to suspect the involvement of the two defendants.”

Ukraine’s military relies on Starlink’s military-grade satellite internet service, Starshield, for critical battlefield communications during Russia’s ongoing invasion.

While Bulgaria does not share a direct border with Ukraine, its position along the Black Sea places it within a key region of strategic interest. This case echoes a similar incident in Poland—where four individuals were arrested in Germany last week in connection with the sabotage of a Starlink station in late September.

What Do We Know About the Incident in Bulgaria?

The teenage suspects are accused of intentionally setting fire to 18 Starlink antennas on the evening of October 9 in a mountainous area south of Sofia, according to prosecutors.

Of those targeted, three were completely destroyed, two suffered partial burns, and three sustained significant damage, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors allege the suspects entered Bulgaria from Serbia in a vehicle with German license plates, posing as tourists, and remained in the area for only a few hours around the time of the alleged offense.

Plamen Tonkov, head of Bulgaria’s domestic intelligence agency, DANS, stated his office is operating under the assumption that the act was deliberate sabotage and warned that future incidents of this nature cannot be ruled out.

Is There a Connection to the Polish Sabotage Case?

These arrests come just one week after German authorities detained four individuals—three male residents and one woman, including two Turkish nationals—in connection with the sabotage of a Starlink communications station in central Poland in late September.

Polish officials have attributed the attack to Russian involvement, with Prime Minister Donald Tusk labeling it an act of “hybrid warfare.”

Poland’s domestic intelligence agency has further claimed that Russia coordinated with organized crime groups within Germany to carry out the operation.

In related developments, Lithuania’s prime minister said on Sunday that Russia was likely behind a recent attempted arson attack targeting a facility hosting Starlink satellite communication equipment in the Baltic region.

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