Polish Prosecutor’s Office supports Ukraine’s request for the extradition of Russian archaeologist Butyagin
RMF24 radio station reported that the Polish Prosecutor’s Office has supported Ukraine’s request for the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, who is suspected of conducting illegal archaeological excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea.
Alexandr Butyagin. Photo from open sourcesUkraine’s request has already been transferred to the District Court in Warsaw for consideration. The Prosecutor’s Office has officially agreed with Ukraine’s position and attached the relevant materials to the case.
Alexandr Butyagin was detained on December 11, 2025, in response to an international request from Ukraine.
According to RMF24, on January 12, the Warsaw court extended the detention of a Russian archaeologist, who illegally crossed the state border of Ukraine and participated in illegal excavations in occupied Crimea.
The Polish court is considering the extradition of the Russian citizen to Ukraine, and a final decision is expected to be made at the next hearing on January 15.
The court decided that extending the detention until March 4 is necessary for the efficient execution of the extradition procedure.
According to the judges, the crime of which the archaeologist is accused has Polish equivalents and is prosecuted in Poland. It was also confirmed that the statute of limitations for this crime has not expired, and the risk of the Russian citizen fleeing remains high, as he has no permanent place of residence in Poland.
If the court deems the extradition legally admissible, the final decision to transfer the scientist to the Ukrainian authorities will be made by the Polish Minister of Justice.
During his time in the pre-trial detention center, Butyagin was visited by representatives of the Russian diplomatic mission.
To provide background, Alexander Butyagin, a Russian scientist and head of the ancient archaeology department at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. He has illegally crossed the state border of Ukraine and led an archaeological expedition in temporarily occupied Kerch. He was also part of the leadership of search groups that conducted excavations in the occupied territory of Crimea without proper permits, specifically at the cultural heritage site “Ancient City of Myrmekion.”
According to information from Ukrainian law enforcement agencies, these illegal actions have led to the partial destruction of an archaeological monument. The amount of damage caused exceeds $4.8 million. In Ukraine, archaeologists face up to five years of imprisonment.
Ukraine sent an official request for Butyagin’s extradition to Poland on December 23. He was in Poland in transit, returning from the Netherlands, where he had been delivering lectures.
