Poland detains Russian archaeologist accused of damaging cultural sites in occupied Crimea
Polish authorities have detained Alexander Butyagin, a Russian archaeologist and head of the ancient world department at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, at the request of Ukraine's prosecutor general, Polish media reported on Dec. 11.
Ukraine is seeking his extradition, accusing him of illegally conducting archaeological work in Russian-occupied Crimea and causing extensive damage to cultural heritage sites. Officials allege Butyagin led excavation teams at the ancient city of Myrmekion in Kerch without permits, resulting in damage estimated at more than 200 million hryvnias (about $4.8 million).
According to RMF FM, Butyagin was traveling through Europe to give a series of lectures, with stops including Amsterdam, Prague, Belgrade, and Warsaw. He was detained last week in the Polish capital when plain clothes law enforcement officers arrested him at his hotel.
Ukrainian authorities say they have pursued Butyagin since November of this year, claiming that his work in Crimea since 2014 has contributed to the destruction of protected historical sites.
Poland will consider Ukraine's formal extradition request once submitted. If approved, Butyagin faces a potential sentence of one to 10 years in prison.
Ukrainian officials have long accused Russia of systematically damaging or altering cultural heritage in Crimea since its illegal invasion and occupation of the peninsula in 2014, saying this is part of an effort to erase Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian cultural heritage.
In Crimea, Russia has destroyed or damaged notable historical sites, including the Khan's Palace in Bakhchisarai — the only surviving example of Crimean Tatar palace architecture — and the ancient city of Chersonesus, a Greek colony founded more than 2,500 years ago in what is now occupied Sevastopol. Ukrainian authorities also cite unauthorized archaeological work at Myrmekion and along the Tauride Highway as further examples of Russia's cultural destruction.
Beyond Crimea, Russia has destroyed more than 1,000 cultural heritage sites across Ukraine, including those under UNESCO protection.
