politics

April 29, 2026

Archaeologist Butyagin’s release: what we know about swap on Belarusian-Polish border

Alexander Butyagin was detained in Poland on December 4, 2025

Archaeologist Butyagin’s release: what we know about swap on Belarusian-Polish border

TL;DR

  • Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin was released in a detainee exchange on the Belarusian-Polish border.
  • Butyagin was detained in Poland on December 4, 2025, and was wanted by Ukraine.
  • The exchange was a five-for-five swap involving citizens of Russia, Belarus, and other CIS countries.
  • Belarus' KGB and Poland's Foreign Intelligence Agency conducted the exchange, with involvement from special services of seven countries.
  • Russia's FSB played a role in organizing the exchange.

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