A Russian archaeologist detained in Poland is at the centre of an intense debate over the role of museums and experts and the role they play in Kremlin war propaganda. Alexander Butyagin is under arrest in Warsaw, awaiting a Polish court decision on a request to extradite him to Ukraine. Until now, courts across Europe have been reluctant to extradite Russians to Ukraine, citing the European Convention on Human Rights. Butyagin's case has divided opinion. A senior scholar at the Hermitage, Russia's largest art museum in St Petersburg, he has led the museum's expedition at the site of Myrmekion in Crimea since 1999, well before Russia's illegal landgrab of Ukraine's southern peninsula in 2014. Supporters argue his work has helped preserve Crimea's ancient heritage, but critics say he is no better than a looter of Ukrainian history making the most of Russia's occupation.
Myrmekion dates back to the 6th Century BC, when the Ancient Greeks settled in Crimea as democracy was being born in Athens. Butyagin's expedition has uncovered hundreds of ancient coins at the site, some from Alexander the Great's period in the 4th Century BC. His expedition continued after Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine, and a criminal case was opened against him by Ukrainian authorities for working there without authorisation. In November 2024, he was placed on a wanted list, and in April 2025 a Kyiv court ordered his arrest in absentia. Butyagin is accused of illegal excavations and illegal partial destruction of an archaeological complex.
Under the 2nd Protocol to the Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, occupying authorities shall prohibit and prevent any archaeological excavations with only a few, narrow exceptions. Both Poland and Ukraine are parties to the protocol, while Russia is not.
Excavations, however ethical, amount to destruction if they take place without permission and under conditions of armed conflict, says Evelina Kravchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Butyagin violated the Hague Convention, and all his problems stem from that, says Krachenko, whose committee issued permits for Russian archaeologists to work in Crimea before its annexation.
Since the start of the war, several European courts have refused Ukraine's requests to extradite Russians, citing potential risks under the European Convention, which prohibits politically motivated persecution, violations of the right to a fair trial, and torture and inhuman treatment of detainees. Even if the Polish court deciding Butyagin's case does find sufficient grounds to extradite him, it might not go ahead, warns legal expert Gleb Bogush.
Gleb Bogush states that it is primarily the Russian state and its officials that are responsible for Crimean excavations, rather than Butyagin. The Hermitage press office insists Butyagin's work complied with all international legal and ethical norms regardless of geopolitical circumstances.
His critics argue that allowing such excavations under the guise of preservation only serves the interests of the occupying forces, ultimately disregarding the rights and histories of the Ukrainian people.
Myrmekion dates back to the 6th Century BC, when the Ancient Greeks settled in Crimea as democracy was being born in Athens. Butyagin's expedition has uncovered hundreds of ancient coins at the site, some from Alexander the Great's period in the 4th Century BC. His expedition continued after Russia seized Crimea from Ukraine, and a criminal case was opened against him by Ukrainian authorities for working there without authorisation. In November 2024, he was placed on a wanted list, and in April 2025 a Kyiv court ordered his arrest in absentia. Butyagin is accused of illegal excavations and illegal partial destruction of an archaeological complex.
Under the 2nd Protocol to the Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict, occupying authorities shall prohibit and prevent any archaeological excavations with only a few, narrow exceptions. Both Poland and Ukraine are parties to the protocol, while Russia is not.
Excavations, however ethical, amount to destruction if they take place without permission and under conditions of armed conflict, says Evelina Kravchenko, a senior researcher at the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Butyagin violated the Hague Convention, and all his problems stem from that, says Krachenko, whose committee issued permits for Russian archaeologists to work in Crimea before its annexation.
Since the start of the war, several European courts have refused Ukraine's requests to extradite Russians, citing potential risks under the European Convention, which prohibits politically motivated persecution, violations of the right to a fair trial, and torture and inhuman treatment of detainees. Even if the Polish court deciding Butyagin's case does find sufficient grounds to extradite him, it might not go ahead, warns legal expert Gleb Bogush.
Gleb Bogush states that it is primarily the Russian state and its officials that are responsible for Crimean excavations, rather than Butyagin. The Hermitage press office insists Butyagin's work complied with all international legal and ethical norms regardless of geopolitical circumstances.
His critics argue that allowing such excavations under the guise of preservation only serves the interests of the occupying forces, ultimately disregarding the rights and histories of the Ukrainian people.
