Polish court approves extradition of Russian archaeologist to Ukraine

A Polish court has approved the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, an employee of the Hermitage Museum, to Ukraine at Kyiv’s request, according to the Russian state news agency TASS, citing sources close to the scholar.

Butyagin was detained in December 2025 in Poland while traveling from the Netherlands to the Balkans to deliver a series of lectures. Ukrainian authorities accuse him of conducting excavations in the annexed Crimean Peninsula that partially destroyed cultural heritage sites, causing estimated damages of over 200 million hryvnias (approximately $4.8 million), Caliber.Az reports via ASTRA.

Official Ukrainian documents cite Butyagin’s work at the site of the ancient city of Myrmekion in Kerch, claiming that both he and his team’s archaeological activities contributed to the destruction of historically significant areas.

By Sabina Mammadli