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Warsaw District Court to continue hearing case on extradition of archaeologist Butyagin

The hearing may be closed to the media

MOSCOW, March 18. /TASS/. The Warsaw District Court will continue hearing the case on the admissibility of extraditing Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Ukraine on March 18 at 10 a.m. local time (9 a.m. GMT), according to the court’s website. The hearing may be closed to the media.

Judge Dariusz Lubowski, who rejected a defense recusal motion, remains on the case. In October, he refused to extradite Vladimir Zhuravlev to Germany. This is one of Lubowski's last extradition cases, as he resigned from the international section of the criminal division in mid-February.

Polish law requires the court to determine legal grounds for extradition. A positive decision can be appealed. If upheld, the Justice Minister must approve it.

Butyagin, head of ancient archaeology at the State Hermitage, was detained by Polish special services on December 4, 2025, during a European lecture tour. Ukraine filed charges in absentia in November 2024. His detention has been extended until June 1. He faces up to 10 years in prison in Ukraine. Poland’s ambassador was summoned to the Russian Foreign Ministry in protest.

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