Russia frees US citizen Stephen Hubbard, convicted of mercenary activity in Ukraine

Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old US citizen who spent more than four years in Russian custody. The release became known on 21 October, when Russian President Vladimir Putin met Steve Witkoff, the special envoy of US President Donald Trump, in Saint Petersburg. It comes as Washington and Moscow continue talks on ending the war in Ukraine.

Who Hubbard is

Hubbard is a former English teacher from the US state of Michigan. He worked abroad for many years, including in Japan, and in 2014 moved to the Ukrainian city of Izium, where he lived with his Ukrainian partner.

After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the occupation of Izium, Russian soldiers detained him. Russian authorities claimed he had joined a Ukrainian territorial defence unit and taken part in combat. In October 2024, a Moscow court sentenced him to six years and ten months in prison. Hubbard's relatives disputed the charges, and in January 2025 the US State Department designated him a wrongfully detained US citizen.

Reports about his treatment in custody

Disturbing reports emerged over the years about the conditions in which Hubbard was held. Ukrainian prisoners of war who were later freed said the American had been beaten, lacked food and had not received proper medical care. Hubbard's sister also voiced concern about his health and alleged that he had suffered physical violence, torture and hunger in prison.

Trump's request and Witkoff's thanks

On 20 October, Trump told reporters he had spoken with Putin about Hubbard's release and had personally asked him to free the American. The release became known the following day. During the meeting, Witkoff thanked Putin for the decision and said Hubbard would be able to return to his family. Trump added that the American was already on his way home and that the US had not been required to release any Russian citizen in exchange.