Poland Supports Extraditing Alexander Butyagin to Ukraine Over Alleged Crimea Heritage Damage

Polish prosecutors have backed Ukraine’s request to extradite Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin over alleged illegal excavations in temporarily occupied Crimea, according to Radio Svoboda on January 9. 

The outlet, citing Poland’s RMF24, said an extradition motion has already been filed with a Warsaw court, with prosecutors’ support attached to the case file as the court considers whether to extend Butyagin’s detention.

He was detained on December 11 at Ukraine’s request while transiting Poland from the Netherlands after giving lectures in Europe, and his current arrest order is due to expire on January 13, 2026. 

Ukraine has been seeking Butyagin since 2024 in connection with archaeological work conducted after Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea, which Kyiv says was carried out illegally and damaged cultural heritage sites.

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Culture

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Warsaw district prosecutor’s office spokesman Piotr Antoni Skiba has said the suspected damage is about $4.8 million, and that Butyagin could face up to five years in prison in Ukraine if convicted. 

Earlier, it was reported that Polish authorities detained a senior State Hermitage Museum archaeologist at Ukraine’s request over alleged illegal excavations at the Myrmekion site in occupied Crimea that Ukrainian prosecutors say caused multimillion-dollar damage.

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