In Warsaw, Russian archaeologist Aleksandr B. was arrested. Ukraine accuses him of destroying cultural heritage sites in temporarily occupied Crimea, RMF24 reports.
Overall, according to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Russian forces have stolen 178 cultural items from the occupied territories. This includes over 140 artifacts taken during illegal excavations. They also took 37 items from the Kamyana Mohyla museum. The War&Sanctions portal published this information.
Arrest in Warsaw
Poland’s Internal Security Agency arrested Aleksandr B. last week at a hotel in the capital. According to RMF24, he was in Warsaw on his way from the Netherlands to the Balkans, where he was scheduled to give lectures. He appeared surprised during the arrest. At the prosecutor’s office, he refused to give any explanations. A Warsaw court ordered his temporary detention for 40 days. Ukraine is already preparing a request for his extradition.
Charges in Ukraine
He is likely Aleksandr Butyagin. The Ukrainian Prosecutor’s Office and the Security Service of Ukraine accuse him of illegal excavations at the Ancient City of Myrmekiy in Kerch. Last year, they formally charged him in absentia. The charges are for carrying out illegal archaeological work and for destroying or damaging cultural heritage sites to extract artifacts. According to the SBU and National Police, Butyagin heads the archaeology sector at the Russian federal institution State Hermitage in Saint Petersburg. Since 2014, he has led an expedition personally attended by Vladimir Putin. His team’s actions caused over 200 million hryvnias (≈ 4.8 million USD) in damage to Ukraine. The crime he is accused of carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
Systematic Destruction of Heritage in Crimea
Since 2014, Crimea has been a site of systematic destruction of cultural and historical sites. Ukrainian authorities have repeatedly stated that this is part of Russia’s policy to suppress Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian identity on the peninsula. Examples include the destruction of the Khan’s Palace in Bakhchysarai and rushed archaeological work during the construction of the Tavrida highway.
Conclusion
Extraditing Aleksandr B. will allow Ukraine to hold him accountable and show that destroying cultural heritage in occupied territories will not go unpunished. The final decision will depend on the Polish court, and the process may take several months. After his arrest, Poland informed Russian diplomatic missions, and Russia canceled his planned December lectures, including one in Moscow.
