In Mykolaiv region, "black archaeologists" increased excavations of historical monuments

In the Mykolaiv region, the number of illegal excavations of archaeological sites has increased significantly during the full-scale invasion. In particular, "black archaeologists" were found in the National Historical and Archaeological Reserve "Olbia".

This was reported to Ukrinform by historian and archaeologist, senior lecturer at the V.O. Sukhomlynsky National University and captain of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Smirnov.

The archaeologist said that he had recently visited the Olbia National Historical and Archaeological Reserve and was impressed by what he saw. According to him, a large number of new unauthorized excavations have appeared on the territory of the Kozyr settlement, which is part of the Olbian chora. He added that they had appealed to the police, but received a response that these were allegedly military trenches, although the photos showed evidence of looting activities.

He also noted that illegal excavations by "black archaeologists" have significantly intensified in the frontline areas of the Northern Black Sea region. After the Kakhovka dam was blown up, the occupiers created a special civil-military group to assess the damage caused by flooding at archaeological sites. It turned out that in the right-bank part of the lower reaches of the Dnipro River and on the coast of the Dnipro-Bug estuary, damage from unauthorized excavations often exceeds the damage from flooding.

The historian noted that many archaeological sites are located near military positions and acknowledged that the country's defense is definitely a priority. At the same time, he emphasized that "black diggers" sometimes negotiate with individual military personnel to use metal detectors.

"However, there are also positive examples when the military informs us if they find artifacts," the scientist added.

According to Smyrnov, one such case occurred last spring. Soldiers of the 123rd Territorial Defense Brigade stumbled upon an archaic burial ground dating back to the sixth to fifth centuries B.C. They found a Corinthian hydris used in rituals and an Ionian vessel, an oinochae, a jug with one handle and three spouts used to pour wine during symposia in ancient Greece. All artifacts, along with human bones, were transferred to the Mykolaiv Regional Museum of Local Lore.

In late December 2025, the court closed the case against three residents of Mykolaiv region. They were accused of excavating a Scythian mound in search of ancient artifacts.

According to the investigation, in 2020, "black archaeologists" bulldozed the Scythian mound of the Vysunsky group of royal burials, which is about 2,500 years old, for several months. The case gained a wide resonance after Mykolaiv archaeologist Oleksandr Smirnov reported the situation to public activist Ilya Zelinsky on the basis of appeals from local residents.

It turned out that the tenant of the fields around the mound was a former deputy of the Mykolaiv Regional Council, Yurii Kormyshkin. He claimed that he had not hired any security company and had called the police himself because of damage to his own crops.

Анна Бальчінос