Top Russian Scholar Faces War Crime Trial for Crimea Digs

A leading Russian archaeologist could stand trial for digging in occupied Crimea. Ukraine has placed him on a wanted list, accusing him of violating its sovereignty. The case has ignited a fierce debate. Critics argue his archaeological work, conducted after Russia's 2014 annexation of the peninsula, legitimizes Russian control. They see it as a tool of state propaganda. The scholar worked with the State Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg. This connection forces a difficult question: are cultural institutions supporting state politics? The Hermitage has not commented. The archaeologist denies wrongdoing, calling his work purely scientific. Ukraine insists the excavations damaged its cultural heritage on sovereign land. The controversy shows how science, culture, and conflict are now intertwined. It asks whether experts bear responsibility when their work aids an occupying power.