A judge in Poland has ruled that Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin can be extradited to Ukraine, although his defence says he will appeal.
Butyagin is being held in a Warsaw prison for allegedly conducting illegal excavations and plundering artefacts from the ancient city of Myrmekion in Crimea - Ukraine's peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
If Judge Dariusz Łubowski's ruling is upheld, a final decision on extradition will rest with Poland's justice minister.
Butyagin was arrested in Poland at Ukraine's request in December and denies all the allegations. If convicted, he faces up to five years in jail. Russia has demanded his immediate release, saying the case is politically motivated.
Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European courts in several instances have refused to extradite Russians to Ukraine, citing the possible risk of violations to the European Convention on Human Rights.
Butyagin's lawyer has expressed concerns for his client's safety, stating that his life and wellbeing would be at risk if he were extradited to Ukraine.
As a senior scholar at the Hermitage in St Petersburg, Butyagin has overseen Myrmekion excavations since 1999. However, since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, these activities have proceeded without Ukraine's consent.
If found guilty of artifact plundering, which includes 30 gold coins, Butyagin faces significant damage charges with an estimated value exceeding $4.5 million.
His arrest on December 4 came amidst his travels in Europe, where he was delivering public talks, unaware that a Kyiv court had already issued a warrant for his arrest in April 2025.
Ukraine's state security service has been gathering evidence against Butyagin related to his activities in Crimea, which they argue violate international conventions regarding cultural heritage.
