Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin. Biography

Alexander Butyagin, a Russian archaeologist and employee of the State Hermitage Museum, was released from a Polish pre-trial detention center. The scientist was detained in Warsaw in December 2025 at the request of Ukraine, which accused him of illegal excavations in Crimea and demanded his extradition. Butyagin's return to his homeland was the result of an exchange of prisoners between Poland and Belarus. About the life and scientific path of an archaeologist — in the material of Izvestia.

Early years and education

Alexander Mikhailovich Butyagin was born on October 12, 1971 in Leningrad. He has had a passion for history since childhood — even at school he became seriously interested in the sciences of the past. After graduating from Gymnasium No. 67, where he studied in parallel with classes at the art school, Butyagin entered the History Department of Leningrad State University (now St. Petersburg State University).

In 1993, he graduated with honors from the Department of Archaeology, which predetermined his further professional path.

Professional activity

Back in his student years, since 1987, Butyagin began to participate in excavations in the Crimea, which eventually became the main business of his life. The scientist's scientific biography immediately turned out to be connected with the legendary Hermitage Museum — after graduating from university, he got a job at the country's main museum.

Soon, the talented researcher became the head of the Department of Ancient Archaeology of the Northern Black Sea region in the Department of the Ancient World. Since 1999, Butyagin has been permanently leading the Myrmekian archaeological expedition exploring the ruins of the ancient (ancient Greek, and then Bosporan and Roman) city of Myrmekiy on the territory of modern Kerch. The work was carried out every year, with the exception of a break in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In parallel with his research and museum work, since 2000, Butyagin began teaching at the Department of Archaeology at his alma mater— St. Petersburg State University.

The Myrmekian expedition under his leadership made real discoveries. In 2002, scientists found a treasure trove of 726 bronze coins of Panticapaeum, hidden back in the 3rd century AD. In 2022, Butyagin, together with his Italian colleagues, discovered unique ancient Greek terracotta figurines and fragments of antique amphorae at the Myrmekia excavations as part of an international scientific project.

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Arrest and criminal prosecution

Alexander Butyagin was detained in Warsaw on December 4, 2025 during his lecture tour of Europe. The reason for the detention was an international warrant issued by Ukraine back in April 2025, where the scientist was put on the wanted list. The Ukrainian authorities accused the Hermitage's leading archaeologist, under Part 4 of Article 298 of the Criminal Code, of intentionally unlawfully destroying, destroying or damaging an object of cultural heritage (it was about the archaeological excavations of the ancient city of Myrmekiy in Crimea from 2014 to 2019).

Butyagin himself was in Poland on his way — the scientist was heading from Amsterdam to Belgrade a few days earlier, he had given lectures in Prague and the capital of the Netherlands. The Warsaw court authorized the arrest of a Russian citizen for 40 days, but it was subsequently extended: the last time was until June 1, 2026.

In March 2026, the Warsaw Court of First Instance declared Butyagin's extradition to Ukraine permissible from the point of view of local and international law. Commenting on this situation, which partly influenced Moscow's plans after the arrest of the scientist, Russian President Vladimir Putin on March 25 called the persecution of the archaeologist in Poland absurd, saying that this incident once again shows "who Russia is dealing with."

In response, the Russian Foreign Ministry launched an active diplomatic effort, using all mechanisms to protect the rights of compatriots abroad. On April 8, Valery Fadeev, Chairman of the Russian Presidential Human Rights Council, said that the HRC, together with the Foreign Ministry, would continue to make every effort to free the archaeologist. In turn, the Office of the UN High Commissioner promised to monitor the trial of Butyagin in the event of his extradition to Ukraine.

Butyagin's release

The fate of Alexander Butyagin was decided only on April 28, 2026. Without waiting for the decision of the Court of appeal, the Polish side released the scientist as part of the prisoner exchange with Belarus. According to the Russian Federal Security Service, in addition to Butyagin, the wife of a Russian serviceman serving in Transnistria was returned to the Belarusian-Polish border.

Both citizens were exchanged for two career officers of the Moldovan secret service. The fact of the archaeologist's release was also officially confirmed by Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski.

Personal life

Little is known about the archaeologist's personal life. In an interview from jail, which Butyagin gave through his lawyer, he admitted that he was looking forward to the moment when he could return to his family. He also noted that his time in isolation gives him the opportunity to rethink many events, stressing that in ordinary life he simply did not have enough time for this.

In the same interview, Alexander Butyagin bitterly remarked that he was paying the price for his faith in European values, and expressed the hope that his personal tragedy would not make other Russian scientists hostages to similar politically motivated persecution.