Ukraine submits request to Poland for extradition of archaeologist who conducted excavations in Crimea

Ukraine has officially requested Poland to extradite Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin.

This was reported by RMF24.

The reason for the request was illegal excavations in the occupied Crimea, which is a violation of international law and Ukrainian legislation on the protection of cultural heritage. The relevant application has already been sent to the Warsaw District Prosecutor's Office, where experts will assess the formal requirements of the request.

After developing its own position, the prosecutor's office will submit the materials to the court along with the Ukrainian side's request. Prosecutors are likely to request an extension of Butyagin's detention, but the final decision on his extradition to Ukraine will be made exclusively by the court.

As a reminder, the Polish Internal Security Agency took Aleksandr Butyagin into custody on December 4, when he was in Warsaw on his way from the Netherlands to the Balkans. On the Hermitage's official website, the scientist is listed as a curator of archaeological collections of ancient settlements on the Bosphorus and mounds on the Kerch Peninsula. In November 2024, the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol stated that he was heading the 'Myrmekian Archaeological Expedition' and was conducting illegal excavations at the cultural heritage site 'Ancient City of Myrmekia' in Kerch without obtaining permission from the competent authorities of Ukraine.

Due to these actions, the Russian was notified of suspicion under Part 4 of Article 298 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine, which provides for liability for illegal search operations and damage to cultural heritage sites. Butyagin faces up to five years in prison for the alleged crime.

Катерина Глушко