Poland Weighs Ukraine Extradition Request as Russian Institutions Mount Defense of Hermitage Archaeologist

Overview

• Polish prosecutors confirmed receipt of Ukraine’s extradition request on December 23 and said the case will be reviewed before being sent to a court to decide on extradition, with a possible penalty in Ukraine of up to 10 years.
• Alexander Butyagin was detained in Poland on December 4 while traveling from the Netherlands, and a Warsaw court ordered 40 days of remand custody.
• Fundraising organizers cite an immediate need of about €30,000 for the first month of legal work, certified translations, and an apartment rental required to seek home detention, with several‑month costs estimated at roughly €130,000.
• The Byzantine Club adopted a statement backing Butyagin that will be delivered to UNESCO through Russia’s representative, and the document will also be sent to Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
• Hermitage leadership contacted Poland’s justice authorities over the case, while the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Archaeology called the Ukrainian accusations absurd and said Butyagin’s Crimea fieldwork followed established methods with finds transferred to the Kerch museum.