Russia to appeal Dutch ruling to return Crimean treasures to Ukraine

Handout photo in Amsterdam, Netherlands, shows a piece of artifact from Crimea that was on loan to a Dutch museum when Russia seized the peninsula and that a Dutch court ruled must be returned to Ukraine and not Crimea, December 14, 2016. Allard Pierson Museum, University of Amsterdam/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia will appeal a Dutch court ruling that said a priceless collection of gold artefacts from Crimea on loan to a Dutch museum must be returned to Ukraine, the director of St Petersburg's Hermitage Museum has said.

The collection, including gems, helmets and scabbards, was on loan to Amsterdam's Allard Pierson Museum when Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Kiev and Crimean museums have been wrangling over its fate ever since.