Hermitage Museum Halts All Crimea Excavations Amid Worsening Security Conditions.

Archaeological Expeditions in Crimea Suspended

According to Espreso.tv: Russia's State Hermitage Museum has decided to suspend all archaeological expeditions on the Crimean Peninsula. The move comes in response to a deteriorating security environment, logistical challenges, and growing difficulties in reaching the region. Alexander Butyagin, the archaeologist leading the Myrmekion expedition, confirmed that his team's work has been relocated to the Kuban area.

According to the Hermitage's website, at least nine archaeological teams had been operating in occupied Crimea. However, due to current obstacles, all of them have now been called off. This decision underscores the increasingly tense situation in the region, which has made it impossible to continue field research.

Political Shifts and Their Impact on Science

On April 28, Poland conducted a prisoner exchange with Belarus on a 'five for five' basis. As part of that deal, Warsaw handed over archaeologist Alexander Butyagin to Russia—he had been detained at Ukraine's request. These events highlight the complex political dynamics that are now interfering with scientific work in the area.

The suspension of archaeological expeditions on the Crimean Peninsula reflects serious challenges facing the scientific community as a result of political and social circumstances.

In this climate of instability, studying historical and cultural sites has become extremely difficult, potentially leading to long-term gaps in archaeological knowledge about the region. At the same time, the prisoner exchange underscores the tangled relations between states and their direct effects on academic research.