Warsaw Court Deems Extradition of Russian Archaeologist to Ukraine Legally Admissible
The first-instance ruling initiates an appeals process that keeps the Hermitage‑affiliated researcher in Polish custody into June.
Overview
- The Warsaw district court approved Ukraine’s request at first instance, which does not result in immediate transfer.
- Defense counsel said an appeal will follow after receiving the written justification of the ruling.
- The court extended Oleksandr Butiagin’s detention in Poland to June 1, 2026.
- Ukrainian authorities accuse him of illegal excavations at the Myrmekiy site in occupied Crimea, with alleged damage estimated at roughly 200–201.6 million hryvnias.
- He was arrested in Warsaw in December 2025 while traveling through Europe to give lectures, as Ukraine’s prosecutor general called the court’s decision a first-of-its-kind approval for a request to extradite a Russian citizen and Russia’s foreign ministry issued a protest.