Russia Frees Imprisoned American Stephen Hubbard After Trump's Plea
Retired teacher, sentenced for allegedly fighting in Ukraine, released from Russian custody following diplomatic engagement.
Russia has released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher from Michigan who was imprisoned on charges of fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine, according to US envoy Steve Witkoff. Hubbard was freed after a plea from President Donald Trump and was at St. Petersburg's Pulkovo airport, Witkoff confirmed Wednesday during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison following a closed trial. Russian prosecutors asserted that he had signed a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 and fought alongside Ukrainian forces until his capture two months later. The U.S. government, under the Biden administration, had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained.
Trump had publicly stated earlier in the week that he had been in extensive discussions with Putin regarding Hubbard's case, expressing his hope for a release. Witkoff has been engaged in efforts to broker a settlement between Russia and Ukraine, a conflict approaching its five-year mark in February.