Russia Releases American Stephen Hubbard From Prison
Russia has released American Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired school teacher detained in Ukraine in 2022 and charged with fighting as a mercenary, a charge he denies. The release came as a U.S. envoy met with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.
Russia has released American citizen Stephen Hubbard from prison, according to Russian state media, ending a detention that began when he was taken into custody in Ukraine in 2022 and later charged by Moscow with fighting as a mercenary. Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired school teacher, has denied the charge.
The release unfolded alongside high-level diplomacy. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and thanked him afterward for Hubbard's release, according to accounts of the meeting. President Trump said he personally raised Hubbard's case in a phone call with Putin the previous week, framing the release as a direct result of that request.
Trump publicly celebrated the news and used the moment to draw a contrast with his predecessor, taking a pointed swipe at former President Biden over the handling of Americans held abroad. The White House has not released further details about the terms of the release or whether any reciprocal steps were involved.
Hubbard's case had drawn attention since his detention in Ukraine, where he was accused by Russian authorities of serving as a mercenary. He was held in Moscow, and images distributed by the Moscow City Court showed him appearing in court in 2024, including a hearing in October of that year where he was seen inside a glass defendant's cage. He consistently denied the mercenary allegation.
The release marks a rare moment of cooperation between Washington and Moscow at a time when relations remain deeply strained. Witkoff's meeting with Putin and his public expression of thanks signaled that channels of communication remain open even as broader tensions persist. For Hubbard's family and supporters, the development closes a detention that stretched across multiple years and multiple court appearances.
Details about Hubbard's current condition and his expected return to the United States were not immediately available. It was also unclear whether the release was part of a broader arrangement or a standalone humanitarian gesture. Officials have not indicated whether other Americans remain detained in Russia.
The case fits a pattern of Americans being held in Russia and released through diplomatic engagement, often at moments of high-level contact between the two governments. Trump's personal involvement, relayed through his account of the call with Putin, places the release within his broader approach to direct dealings with foreign leaders.
For now, the confirmed facts are straightforward: Hubbard, a retired teacher from the United States, is out of Russian custody after years of detention, and his release came as American and Russian officials engaged directly at the highest levels.
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