Ukrainian Prosecutor General's Office reacts to Poland returning archaeologist Butyagin to Russia instead of extraditing him to Ukraine

The Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine has stated that the documents Ukraine provided along with its request for the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin had been deemed sufficient by the Polish law enforcement authorities. Nonetheless, Poland has handed Butyagin over to Russia as part of a prisoner swap.

Source: Mariana Haiovska, spokesperson for the Prosecutor General's Office, in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda

Details: Haiovska stressed that the Ukrainian side had consistently maintained that Butyagin should be extradited so that he could be prosecuted in Ukraine.

Butyagin is accused of involvement in illegal archaeological activities and the removal of cultural treasures from temporarily occupied Crimea.

During the review of the extradition request, the competent Polish authorities had duly assessed the materials submitted by Ukraine and deemed them sufficient to decide that Butyagin should be extradited to Ukraine, Haiovska noted.

But the final decision on Butyagin was made in the context of international agreements related to the exchange of prisoners.

Quote: "The Office of the Prosecutor General will continue to use all national and international mechanisms to bring this individual to justice for the crimes he has committed against Ukraine and its cultural heritage."

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