arson: Plana teleport near Sofia, according to charges reported by BTA (2026-10-09)

What happened

According to charges presented in court and reported by BTA on 19 October 2026, the arson at Starlink ground infrastructure in the Plana teleport near Sofia occurred on 9 October around 22:25. The day-level date and refined location derive from those charges; the entry’s existing identifier is retained. Earlier sources disclosed the case on 12 October and gave conflicting dates and figures of 11 of 17 or 18 antennas. Those figures are not adopted as the current damage total. On 14 October the prime minister confirmed an investigation, and on 15 October an interior-ministry official confirmed suspects without details. Historical reports and updates are retained; the subsequent findings are described below. The perpetrator and any state commissioning party remain undetermined. Exact coordinates are undetermined; the entry has no map point. On 19 October, a Sofia court approved European Arrest Warrants for two German citizens charged in absentia on 14 October. According to the charges, three antennas burned completely, two partially, and three were affected by fire: eight to varying degrees, not 11 completely destroyed. The suspects were wanted and their current whereabouts unknown; two arrests on 15 October are not confirmed. The defence contests identification of the perpetrators. The court accepted reasonable suspicion at this stage, not guilt; the decision could be appealed within three days. The court-reported evidence of the arson itself supports confirmed status for the physical event, separately from the unidentified perpetrator. Neither the warrants nor German citizenship establish Russian commissioning; attribution remains unknown. On 26 October, BNR reported that two 19-year-old German citizens had been arrested in Duisburg on Friday, 23 October, and appeared before a court on 26 October. These are later arrests, not confirmation of earlier reports of arrests on 15 October. Completed surrender to Bulgaria and conviction are not confirmed. Arresting suspects does not establish guilt or Russian tasking; attribution remains unknown. On 29 October, Lithuanian police linked the same two suspects to the Bulgarian arson and the attempted Starlink arson in Vilnius on 18 October. Police described German residents with German-Turkish and German-Serbian dual citizenship, already in German custody under Bulgarian European Arrest Warrants. This develops the earlier arrests; it is not another detained pair. Linking investigations does not establish a conviction, completed surrender or confirmed Russian tasking of this particular Bulgarian arson.

Responsibility and limits of the evidence

unresolved

The case was looked at and not settled, or the findings are disputed or have been rejected.

Impact

killed

not established

injured

not established

damage

property damage

pending editorial review

Source discrepancy

Earlier media placed the incident on the night of 9-10 October with conflicting times; until 21 October the entry used month precision. The 9 October date is adopted from charges presented in court and reported by BTA. 12 October remains the disclosure date, not the incident date.

Historically the MP reported 11 of 17 antennas and Faktor 11 of 18. BTA’s 19 October court report describes three completely burned, two partially burned and three affected by fire. The discrepancy is retained; 11 destroyed antennas and a final damage valuation are not adopted.

Earlier reports of arrests on 15 October remain unconfirmed. BNR on 26 October describes later arrests in Duisburg on 23 October. A warrant, arrest and surrender are separate stages; completed surrender and guilt are not established.

What happened next

Sources

1. В секретен обект около София са подпалени умишлено 11 антени за комуникация със Starlink, съобщи Ивайло Мирчев

   BTA / 2026-10-12 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened, the impact, the location

2. Радев отказа подробности за палежа на антените на Starlink - скоро щяло да има резултат

   ClubZ / 2026-10-14 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened

3. Двама чужди граждани са задържани за терористичната атака срещу антени, обслужващи Starlink на Илон Мъск

   Faktor / 2026-10-14 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the date, the location, the impact

4. Suspects Identified in Arson Attack on Starlink Communication Antennas in Bulgaria

   BTA / 2026-10-15 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened

5. Двама германски граждани са обвинени за запалването на антените на „Старлинк“, съдът одобри Европейска заповед за ареста им

   BTA / 2026-10-19 / secondary source

   supports: the record, that it happened, the date, the location, the impact

6. Задържаните за палежа на антени Starlink до София се явиха пред съда в Дуисбург

   BNR, korespondencja z Niemiec / 2026-10-26 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the date

7. Išaiškinti ir sulaikyti asmenys, įtariami Starlink antenų padegimu

   Lietuvos kriminalinės policijos biuras / 2026-10-29 / primary source

   supports: the record, that it happened, the date

8. Starlink įrangą bandę padegti vyrai įtariami terorizmu, taikėsi į įrangą ir Bulgarijoje

   LRT / 2026-10-29 / secondary source

   supports: the record, the attribution, the impact