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Russian archaeologist to lead first expedition after release from Polish custody

Alexander Butyagin will travel to Myrmekion in late July

SIMFEROPOL, May 19. /TASS/. Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, who spent over five months in Polish custody, will lead an excavation campaign at Myrmekion outside the Crimean city of Kerch in July, Tatyana Umrikhina, director of the East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum-Reserve, told TASS.

"There will certainly be an expedition this year, and Butyagin will travel to Myrmekion in late July," she said.

According to Umrikhina, for the first time after his release from Polish custody, the archeologist has been participating in the Bosporus Readings research forum in Kerch.

Butaygin has headed the State Hermitage Museum’s Myrmekion expedition since 1999.

Polish intelligence agencies detained Butyagin on his way from the Netherlands to the Balkans on December 4, 2025 during his European lecture tour. A Warsaw court ruled that the archaeologist be taken into custody. Polish prosecutors received an extradition request from Ukraine and said Butyagin could face up to ten years in prison in Ukraine. A Warsaw court of first instance ruled to extradite Butyagin, but his defense was going to appeal the decision.

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