EU sanctions Russian cultural figures involved with illegal archaeological excavations in occupied Crimea

Prefer on Google by Kate Tsurkan European Union flags seen waving in front of the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on Feb. 26, 2026 (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images) In a move to underscore its commitment to Ukraine’s cultural heritage, the European Union on April 23 included four Russian cultural figures in its 20th sanctions package for their roles in archaeological excavations in occupied Crimea. Russia has occupied Crimea since its forcible annexation in 2014 and has since transformed the peninsula into a militarized outpost on the Black Sea. Crimea has a rich history of cultural artifacts, including from the times of ancient Greek city-states. Prior to the annexation, Russian archaeologists had worked on the peninsula, but only with permission from the Ukrainian government. Since 2014, Russia has been systematically looting artifacts and even destroying Ukrainian cultural heritage on the peninsula. Among those sanctioned for their involvement in these efforts is Andrey Polyakov, the director of the Institute for the History of Material Culture at the Russian Academy of Sciences. According to the EU, Polyakov oversaw his institute's archaelogical excavations in Crimea between 2014 and 2023, receiving more than 20 permits from Russian authorities during that period. The EU says that Polyakov’s work aided “the cultural appropriation and institutional normalization of Russian presence in Crimea.” Nikolai Makarov, director of the Institute of Archaeology at the Russian Academy of Sciences, is also named on the sanctions list. The EU describes Makarov’s institute as “a central actor” in Russia’s illegal archaeological activities on the peninsula. Other Russian cultural figures facing sanctions include Sergei Obryvalin, Russia’s deputy culture minister, who oversees the ministry's Department of State Protection of Cultural Heritage, museum oversight, and the Russian Military Historical Society. According to the EU, Obryvalin's work in the ministry includes the authorization of numerous archaelogical excavations in Crimea and the seizure and reclassification of Ukrainian cultural property as Russian. His remit also covers being actively involved in the promotion Russian cultural initiatives in occupied Ukrainian territories. Mikhail Piotrovsky, director of the Hermitage Museum, is sanctioned for the museum’s role under his leadership in illegal archaelogical excavations and the destruction of protected Ukrainian heritage sites in Crimea. The Hermitage Museum's Alexander Butyagin made international headlines in mid-December 2025 when he was detained by Polish authorities at Ukraine's request. He is currently facing extradition to Ukraine for his illegal excavations on the Crimean Peninsula that Kyiv says resulted in more than 200 million hryvnias ($4.5 million) in damages. Butyagin tried to defend his work after the occupation claiming that science was above politics. However, Ukraine has reported the theft of more than 2,300 cultural artifacts from areas affected by the war, part of what officials describe as a wider Russian effort to erase and claim the country’s cultural heritage.