Russia Protests Detention of Archaeologist in Poland

Screenshot from 2018 film: Крымский мост. Сделано с любовью! 

Russia has today summoned Krzysztof Krajewski the Polish ambassador to Moscow to the Russian Foreign Ministry to demand the release of a Russian archaeologist who was detained in Poland last month at the request of Ukraine. A Warsaw court is due this week to rule on whether he should be extradited to face trial in Ukraine for illegal archaeological research in occupied Crimea. The Warsaw District Court extended the pretrial detention of Russian archaeologist Alexander B. until March 4.

The Russians claim the accusations are 'absurd', but seem (like the archaeologist involved, it seems) unaware of the implications of the provisions of Art 9 of the Second Protocol of the 1954 Hague Convention. Tass, 'Russian MFA lodges protest with Polish ambassador over archeologist’s detention' 13 Jan 2026.

The archaeologist, identified under Polish privacy law as Alexander B., is employed by the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. Ukrainian investigators accuse him of leading excavations at an ancient site near Kerch on the Crimean peninsula, without the authorisation of Ukrainian authorities. According to Kyiv, the work resulted in partial damage to the archaeological site and constitutes a violation of Ukrainian cultural heritage and criminal law.

Alexander B. was detained last month by Poland’s Internal Security Agency (ABW) at a Warsaw hotel while travelling from the Netherlands to the Balkans, where he was scheduled to deliver a series of academic lectures. His arrest followed a request from Ukrainian prosecutors, who are seeking his extradition to face charges related to the alleged illegal excavations. Since his detention, Alexander B. has remained in custody under a court order. On Monday, Warsaw’s district court approved an extension of his detention until 4 March. A further hearing scheduled for Thursday will determine whether Poland will grant Ukraine’s extradition request. A spokesman for the Warsaw district prosecutor’s office, stated that Ukrainian authorities had submitted the necessary legal documentation and assurances required under extradition procedures. “From a formal standpoint, the extradition documentation raises no objections,” he said.

Ukrainian officials argue that any archaeological activity conducted in Crimea without Kyiv’s consent is unlawful under international law, as Ukraine continues to regard the peninsula as its sovereign territory despite Russia’s occupation. This is also recognized by most countries, including Poland. Ukrainian legislation prohibits the removal, disturbance, or study of archaeological material in occupied territories without authorisation, classifying such actions as damage to cultural heritage. Given that the archaeologist in question (and indeed his whole team) ignored that legal requirement, I think he should be extradited and tried in Ukraine to ensure accountability.