Ukraine's Foreign Ministry welcomes Poland's decision to extradite Russian archaeologist involved in excavations in Crimea

Ukraine has welcomed a ruling by the Warsaw District Court on the extradition of Russian archaeologist Aleksandr Butyagin to Ukraine, where he is suspected of having conducted illegal excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea.

Source: a briefing by Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesman for Ukraine's Foreign Ministry, as cited by Ukrinform and reported by European Pravda

Details: Tykhyi noted, however, that Ukraine understands that "there will be further procedural stages in Poland".

Quote: "This is now in the hands of Polish justice. As for what awaits him in Ukraine, the law enforcement officers who brought the relevant cases are better placed to comment."

Background:

• Butyagin, a researcher at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, is accused by Ukraine of conducting illegal excavations and looting historical artefacts in occupied Crimea and has been placed on the wanted list on those grounds.
• Butyagin was detained in December 2025 at a hotel in Warsaw while on a lecture tour in Europe. Ukraine subsequently filed an extradition request.
• Following the archaeologist's detention, Moscow summoned the Polish ambassador in Russia to protest against his extradition to Ukraine.

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