Poland has decided to extradite Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, a prominent academic associated with the Hermitage Museum, to Ukraine. Butyagin was arrested in Poland in December 2023 at Ukraine's request. His lawyer, Adam Domanski, stated he will appeal the Warsaw court's decision.

Ukraine alleges that Butyagin conducted illegal excavations at the Myrmekion archaeological site in Crimea after its annexation by Russia in 2014. The work purportedly caused damage exceeding 200 million hryvnias ($4.5 million) and involved the seizure of 30 gold coins, with 26 inscribed from the era of Alexander the Great and four minted during the reign of his brother Philip III Arrhidaeus.

The Kremlin has reacted furiously, accusing the Polish regime of "legal tyranny" and summoning the Polish ambassador in January to demand Butyagin's release. Moscow dismisses the charges as "absurd," viewing Crimea as Russian territory and claiming Warsaw's decision is politically motivated.

If convicted in Ukraine of the "partial destruction" of the Myrmekion site, Butyagin could face up to five years in prison. This case deepens tensions over cultural preservation amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fifth year, highlighting the geopolitical friction between the US-aligned Polish regime and Russian authorities.

Source: www.aljazeera.com