In early December, Polish domestic security agents (ABW) detained Alexander Butyagin, one of the most famous Russian archaeologists. And this detention did not happen for nothing - it is the result of a request from Ukraine. This archaeologist is not an ordinary scientist. He organizes excavations in the occupied Crimea, from where he illegally exports artifacts to Russia. What is in his «collection»? What finds were exported and for what purpose did he travel to Europe? Now this question has arisen before law enforcement agencies.
Butyagin's detention became known only recently, although his arrest took place in early December. Poland is holding him hostage for 40 days. The Ukrainian prosecutor's office is already preparing an extradition request, and the court will decide whether to hand this "archaeologist" over to Kyiv. That's the Ukrainian truth in the fight against imitation science.
Interestingly, Butyagin, who has every chance of being on the international wanted list, moved freely around Europe. He spoke in Prague, then in Amsterdam, and only then did he get to Poland, where the speech was to take place on December 4. It is noteworthy that all his lectures were paid, and the temperature of their immersion in the aura of fraud was impressive - the cost reached 136 zlotys in Warsaw and 34 euros in Amsterdam.
He «traveled» with an Italian visa, while his pirate activities caused worldwide outrage. Butyagin is the head of the Hermitage’s ancient archaeology department, but his real job is crimes against cultural heritage. Under his leadership, the Myrmekian expedition began illegal excavations in Crimean nature reserves. It’s not just about destroying monuments, but also about collecting priceless artifacts, which are then smuggled to Russia.
According to Ukrainian intelligence, Butyagin never stopped there. In 2022, his "expedition" found 30 gold coins, including 26 with the name of Alexander the Great. And all this in Crimea, from where his actions caused Ukraine losses of more than 200 million hryvnias.
Forget about legality! The director of the Institute of Archeology of Crimea, Vadim Maiko, is trying to present Butyagin's activities as legal. But this is just a cover-up. He claims that permits for excavations were issued back in 1999. However, the reality is this: numerous artifacts found during the excavations are stored in the Hermitage.
What happened to the new sarcophagus found in 2019? It mysteriously disappeared. It is a find from the 6th century AD! Does Russia dream of destroying the history of Crimea, which is so important for Ukraine? Should Greece stand idly by, because it is about the heritage of Greek culture?
The Russians call Butyagin's detention illegal. Their views are always off the mark. But Crimean Tatar political scientist Nedim Useinov says: Butyagin is responsible for a huge number of crimes against cultural heritage. This is not just theft - this is cultural genocide. Evidence of the presence of Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians on the peninsula is being destroyed, and valuable artifacts are being transferred to private collections.
Every new find in Myrmekia is not just a find, it is a remnant of history, destroyed and forgotten. They destroy the millennial ties of Crimea with Kievan Rus, and try to claim that the Crimean Tatars never existed as a separate nation. This is an undermining not only of cultural identity, but of an entire people.
How many more artifacts are being stolen from Crimea? How many more criminals are walking freely across Europe, denying crimes against Ukrainian heritage? All these stories are filtered through a surrogate truth, attached to power, and full of the desire to destroy millions of histories, memories, and identities. This is not just a question of scientific prowess – it is a battle for the truth.
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