The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs praises the Polish court for its decision regarding the Russian archaeologist

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine positively assessed the decision of the district court in Warsaw on the extradition of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Ukraine, where he is suspected of conducting illegal excavations in occupied Crimea, the Ukrinform agency reported on Wednesday.

Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhiy Tychy, stated that this case is in the hands of the Polish justice system.

“We evaluate this decision of the Polish court positively. We understand that there are still stages of legal proceedings ahead of us in Poland. It is now in the hands of the Polish justice system. The law enforcement agencies that have initiated appropriate proceedings know better about what awaits them in Ukraine,” said the diplomat.

Earlier, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the view that the decision of the Polish court to extradite archaeologist Butyagin to Ukraine had no legal basis. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Moscow stated that Russia will continue its actions aimed at the quick release of Butyagin and his return to the country.

On Wednesday, the Warsaw district court found the legal permissibility of handing over Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to the Ukrainian side. Ukrainian investigators suspect an archaeologist of partial destruction of a cultural heritage site in occupied Crimea. The defense announced that it would file an appeal against the court's decision.

Butyagin was detained by the Internal Security Agency in early December last year at the request of the Ukrainian justice system. He was interrogated at the District Prosecutor's Office in Warsaw, where he refused to provide explanations. By court decision, he was arrested.

In accordance with the extradition request of the Ukrainian prosecutor's office of November 13, 2025, Butyagin, as the head of the Section of Ancient Archeology of the Northern Black Sea Region of the Federal Cultural Institute of the Hermitage, in the years 2014–2019, without having the appropriate permits to conduct excavations, carried out them in the archaeological complex “Ancient City of Myrmekion” in Kerch on Crimea. As reported by the Ukrainian side, his works were intended to destroy the archaeological complex. Losses are estimated at over UAH 200 million. (PAP)

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