The two suspects in the arson attack on Starlink antennas near Sofia have left Bulgaria and their whereabouts are unknown, according to information from the investigation. On 19 October, Sofia City Court is considering a request from prosecutors for European arrest warrants.

The two, aged 20 and 21, hold German passports. Unofficial reports say they crossed the border legally at the Kulata checkpoint. It is not clear exactly when they left. The authorities have not released their names or any other details about their identity. Charges do not mean guilt is proven until a court verdict takes effect.

It was first said that they were detained on 12 October, but it is not clear whether they were detained at all.

If the court issues the warrants, Bulgarian authorities will be able to ask another EU country to detain the two and hand them over under the relevant law.

The communications site near the village of Plana, not far from Sofia, was set on fire on the night of 9 to 10 October. Early reports said 11 antennas were fully destroyed. The site has 18 in all, and 7 were not damaged. Sources do not all give the same figure. Security camera footage shows two masked people.

Ivaylo Mirchev, co-leader of Yes, Bulgaria, was the first to report the attack, on 12 October. It was also discussed at a hearing in the National Assembly.

Prime minister Rumen Radev said the investigation is under way and results are expected. Interior minister Ivan Demerdzhiev said the interior ministry has stepped up security at such sites. He said the main responsibility for protecting them lies with the owners.

There are suspicions of deliberate sabotage because of the strategic value of the infrastructure. There is no public proof of who is behind the attack, and no link between the suspects and a foreign state or organisation has been confirmed.

The antennas are part of the SpaceX satellite network, which provides a connection even where normal networks are limited or damaged. Ukrainian forces use it in the war with Russia.

In Poland, a Starlink ground satellite station was set on fire. German authorities detained two Turkish citizens in that case, and more arrests followed later. No link between the two cases has been made public.

Updated (19.10, 16:02): Prosecutors say the two suspects crossed at the Kalotina border checkpoint, not at Kulata as first reported. They say both were born in 2007, so they are not aged 20 and 21 as earlier stated. Eight antennas were hit, not 11 destroyed: three burned to the ground, two were partly damaged and three were damaged. The arson happened on 9 October at about 22:25. The two arrived as tourists, stayed a few hours and used a German-registered car that is not theirs. The offence carries a prison sentence of 3 to 12 years.