Eleven of 17 antennas used for communication with SpaceX's Starlink satellite system were deliberately set on fire at a secret facility near Sofia, according to deputy Ivaylo Mirchev, co-chairman of the "Yes, Bulgaria" party.
Mirchev said in a Facebook post that two masked men carried out the arson. The antennas provide the primary link to Starlink satellites, which are actively used in communications during the war in Ukraine.
Mirchev stated that the incident has not been publicly reported by the Interior Ministry or covered in media outlets. He raised questions about whether partner intelligence services had warned of a planned sabotage at the specific location, whether Bulgarian security services possessed information about a potential attack, and what measures were taken in response.
The deputy also questioned whether police vehicles were present at the site and what actions were taken by law enforcement.
Mirchev's disclosure comes days after a meeting of the Consultative Council for National Security, where the head of DANS, Bulgaria's counterintelligence agency, assured him that counterintelligence was actively working to prevent sabotage linked to Russia. Mirchev commented that the agency apparently is not handling such threats effectively.
The incident is being framed by Mirchev in the context of efforts to counter Russian-linked sabotage operations. No official details have been released by investigating authorities regarding the perpetrators or their motives.
Separately, on October 6, two commercial vessels were attacked with drones in Bulgaria's exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea, approximately 70 nautical miles east of Byal and Cape Saint Athanasios. One vessel, flying the flag of Togo, sank following severe damage. The second vessel, the Able, flying the flag of Palau, was struck and caught fire.
Military personnel from the 24th Aviation Base were deployed by helicopter to board the Able and inspect the vessel following the incident. They examined the ship for drone debris and documented the damage sustained. No traces of drones were found during the inspection of the burned vessel.