The Hermitage has canceled all archaeological expeditions in annexed Crimea. Rotonda reported this, citing historian and press secretary of the museum’s archaeological mission Alexander Butyagin, who heads excavations in Kerch.
According to Butyagin, as recently as May 2026 it was believed that the Myrmekion expedition in Kerch would go ahead. Later, however, information appeared in the expedition group that it would be moved “to another region” — to the Kuban area — because of an “aggravation of the situation.”
The Myrmekion archaeological expedition led by Butyagin has been running since 1999. In addition to that project, historians and volunteers have been conducting excavations at the Tauric Chersonese site in Sevastopol. The Hermitage website lists information on nine expeditions on the peninsula.
Since June 26, 2026, a regional state of emergency has been in effect in Crimea and Sevastopol. Earlier, after Ukrainian drone attacks, the peninsula experienced power supply disruptions. Authorities also banned ordinary fuel sales, allowing gasoline and diesel to be provided only to state services responsible for essential operations and security.
Children staying at summer camps were also removed from Crimea. New camp sessions, according to the report, will not be opened until at least September 1.
In December 2025, Butyagin was detained in Poland after Ukrainian authorities deemed his participation in excavations in Crimea illegal. He was accused of partial destruction of a cultural heritage site and of causing damage exceeding 201.6 million hryvnias, which the report said was equivalent to $4.8 million. In March 2026, a Polish court approved the scholar’s extradition, after which his defense filed an appeal. In April, Butyagin was released as part of a prisoner exchange between Poland and Belarus.