SIMFEROPOL, April 30. /TASS/. Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, released from a Warsaw detention center, plans to return to excavations in Crimea this summer despite ongoing persecution from Ukraine.

He said in an interview with the broadcaster Vesti.

Butyagin was released in a swap at the Belarusian-Polish border, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) previously reported. His return resulted from a multi-stage operation with the Belarusian security service. The BelTA news agency reported that the exchange was a five-for-five deal involving citizens from Russia, Belarus, and other CIS countries.

"I think so. The main concern is whether I can complete all the preparations before summer. I still need to submit reports after a five-month interruption, which is significant. Hopefully, they will understand my situation. I must continue my work; this is my passion and life's work, and I don’t intend to stop," he said, adding that the persecution from Ukraine will continue.

About Butyagin's case

On December 4, Polish security services detained Butyagin while he was traveling from the Netherlands to the Balkans for a lecture tour. A Warsaw court ordered his arrest, extending his detention until June 1. The Polish prosecutor's office received an extradition request from Ukraine, claiming he could face up to ten years in prison. The Warsaw court ruled for his extradition, which his defense plans to appeal.