Polish Court Approves Extradition of Russian Archaeologist to Ukraine Over Crimea Site Damage
A Warsaw court ruled on March 18, 2026, that Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin can be extradited to Ukraine. Ukraine accuses Butyagin, a senior researcher at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, of illegally conducting excavations in occupied Crimea since 2014 and causing significant damage to the ancient Greek site of Myrmekion near Kerch. The damage is estimated at over 200 million hryvnias (about €5 million), including the loss of gold coins and archaeological structures. This marks the first time an EU member state has allowed extradition of a Russian scholar to Ukraine for activities related to occupied Crimea. The case raises questions about scientific neutrality and cultural heritage protection under international law.
Key facts
- Polish court approved extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Ukraine on March 18, 2026
- Butyagin is accused of illegal excavations and damage to the Myrmekion archaeological site in Crimea since 2014
- Damage estimates exceed 200 million hryvnias (approximately €5 million), including loss of ancient gold coins
- Butyagin is a section head at the State Hermitage Museum's classical archaeology department
- This is the first EU member state decision to extradite a Russian researcher to Ukraine for Crimea-related activities
Entities
Institutions
- State Hermitage Museum
- Ukrainian Security Service (SBU)
- Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea
- Service de sécurité ukrainien (SBU)
- parquet de la République autonome de Crimée
Locations
- Warsaw
- Poland
- Ukraine
- Crimea
- Kerch
- Saint Petersburg
- Kherson
- Varsovie
- Pologne
- Crimée
- Saint-Pétersbourg
- Kertch
- Prague