Ukraine will continue to seek punishment for Butyagin despite Poland's decision — Foreign Ministry
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stated that it will continue to seek the prosecution of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, whom Poland has refused to extradite to Ukraine.
This was announced by Foreign Ministry spokesperson Georgiy Tykhyi.
The ministry expressed regret that, despite a previous ruling by a Polish court, the suspect in crimes against Ukraine was not handed over to the Ukrainian side.
According to Tykhyi, this specifically concerns suspicions of the illegal removal of cultural property from occupied Crimea.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that the Russian side may use this situation to justify the occupation of Ukrainian territories and the activities of its citizens there.
The spokesperson emphasized that Ukraine will continue to insist on holding all those involved in crimes against the state legally accountable and will apply appropriate mechanisms both at the national level and within the jurisdictions of international partners.
Poland exchanged Russian archaeologist Butyagin, who was awaiting extradition to Ukraine, for a journalist.
As a reminder, a court in Warsaw approved the extradition of Russian archaeologist Butyagin to Ukraine.
