In Warsaw, a court approved the extradition of a Russian archaeologist to Ukraine. What is known

A Warsaw court has allowed the extradition to Ukraine of archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, who was detained in Poland on charges of illegal excavations in Crimea. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

The decision on extradition

The Warsaw District Court has decided to extradite Russian scientist Alexander Butyagin to the Ukrainian side. Earlier, in January 2025, the court had already refused the defense's request to postpone the consideration of the case and provide additional materials from Kiev. The archaeologist himself opposed extradition, pointing out a serious threat to his life and health on the territory of Ukraine.

They're digging under themselves: what will the arrest of a Russian archaeologist mean for Warsaw

And how did the Russian Federation react to the arbitrariness of the Polish authorities?

The scientist's defense emphasizes that the accusations are unfounded. The Ukrainian side accuses the archaeologist of carrying out work without permission and causing damage in the amount of more than 200 million hryvnias. However, the lawyers note that the amount presented is only a hypothetical monetary estimate of the monument, and there is no evidence of the actual destruction of objects in the case file.

The position of the defense and the state of the scientist

Lawyer Adam Domansky said that the statute of limitations for the alleged events of 2014-2019 had already expired. The defense also points to the risk of human rights violations and the lack of a fair trial if Butyagin is transferred to Kiev. Currently, the Russian is in the Warsaw-Bialolenka detention center, where the conditions for communication with his family are extremely limited.

The lawyer also commented on the current condition of the defendant in conditions of prolonged arrest.

"Given, of course, the difficult circumstances in which Mr. Butyagin found himself, his condition can be assessed as relatively good. The mood, given the situation, is positive, and at the moment there have been no complaints or negative information from his side," he said.

Russia's diplomatic support and reaction

The Russian Foreign Ministry has strongly protested to Polish Ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski in connection with the scientist's detention. The Russian Foreign Ministry called Kiev's accusations absurd and related solely to Butyagin's scientific activities in Crimea. The diplomats stressed that the scientist freely visited European countries before his detention, as the request through Interpol was not implemented.

The Russian Embassy in Poland continues to provide the necessary consular and legal assistance to the compatriot. Andrei Ordash, Charge d'affaires of the Russian Federation in Poland, confirmed the information support of the process. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, in turn, pointed out that the incident was a legal outrage. According to him, the Russian side will seek the scientist's release.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.