US EditionRussia's FSB Says Archaeologist Butyagin Released by Poland in Prisoner Swap, TASS Reports
The swap also freed a Russian woman and two Moldovan intelligence officers, while Poland had been preparing to extradite Butyagin to Ukraine.
- On Tuesday, the Federal Security Service reported that Poland released Russian archaeologist Aleksandr Butyagin as part of a prisoner swap, according to state news agency TASS.
- Arrested last December, Butyagin faced extradition to Ukraine over allegations of unauthorized excavations and plundering historical artifacts in Crimea. Russia had previously demanded his release.
- The FSB said a Russian woman married to a soldier in Transdniestria was also released. Both Russians were exchanged for two career officers of Moldova's special service.
- Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski confirmed the exchange, which also facilitated the return of activist Andrzej Poczobut from Belarus with assistance from the Trump administration.
- Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko noted this was the first instance where a Ukrainian extradition request for a Russian citizen received such a judicial assessment, calling Butyagin "a Russian historian in the process of being extradited to Ukraine.
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34 Articles
The Hermitage archaeologist Ukraine wanted to try is back in Russia—Kyiv calls it a propaganda gift to Moscow
Belarus released three Polish nationals and two Moldovans at the border on 28 April. Russia got back Alexander Butyagin, the archaeologist Ukraine had charged with looting Crimea—six weeks before he was due in a Ukrainian courtroom. The five freed include Andrzej Poczobut, the Gazeta Wyborcza journalist held more than 1,800 days in Lukashenka's prisons, and Grzegorz Gaweł, a 27-year-old Polish Carmelite monk who faced up to 15 years on espionage…
At the same time, the Foreign Ministry assured that Ukraine will continue to apply legal mechanisms and work in the jurisdictions of partners.
Russian Archeologist Accused of Crimean Heritage Destruction Freed in Major Prisoner Swap
The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) confirmed the release of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin as part of a five-for-five prisoner exchange on the Belarusian-Polish border that also freed Polish-Belarusian journalist Andrzej Poczobut, the Polish media outlet Rzeczpospolita reported on April 28. The exchange involved multiple nations, Rzeczpospolita noted. Alongside Butyagin, Poland released the wife of a Russian soldier stationed i…
Ukraine decries release of Russian archaeologist in US-brokered prisoner swap
"It is evident that the Russian side will cynically use this political and legal episode to justify the occupation of Crimea and the exploitation of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territory by Russian citizens," Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi told media.
Poland Released Russian Archeologist in U.S.-Brokered Prisoner Swap, FSB Says
Poland has released a prominent Russian archeologist wanted in Ukraine for excavations in annexed Crimea, Russia’s FSB security service told state media on Tuesday, with U.S. officials confirming that they helped broker the release as part of a wider prisoner swap.
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