Russia on Wednesday released American teacher Stephen Hubbard, who had been serving a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. The release came during a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and was announced by President Trump on Truth Social.
Witkoff thanked Putin for the release, saying Hubbard could now return to his family. Trump emphasized that the release did not involve a prisoner swap, calling it unprecedented and a sign of respect for his administration. “The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return – an unprecedented situation for Russia,” Trump wrote. “There was no 'swap' necessary for this release.”
Who is Stephen Hubbard?
Hubbard, a retired educator, grew up in Big Rapids, Michigan, and served in the U.S. Air Force and National Guard, according to military records cited by The New York Times. He lived in Japan and Cyprus before moving to Izyum, Ukraine, in 2014. His sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, told Reuters she last spoke with him in September 2021.
Capture and Conviction
Russian prosecutors alleged that Hubbard signed a contract with the Ukrainian military at the start of the 2022 invasion and fought alongside Ukrainian troops. State media claimed he manned a checkpoint. He was captured two months after the invasion and brought to trial. The Biden administration had designated him as wrongfully detained.
According to Reuters, prosecutors accused Hubbard of joining a Ukrainian territorial defense unit, receiving training, weapons, and ammunition, and being promised $1,000 a month. His lawyer, Martin De Luca, denied the charges, saying Hubbard had no involvement with Ukraine’s military and was detained at a house in Izyum, which Ukrainian forces recaptured in September 2022. Russian state media reported that Hubbard pleaded guilty, but his sister questioned that, noting his pro-Russian views and age.
Second Release of an American
Hubbard’s release follows that of American teacher Marc Fogel in February. Fogel had been serving a 14-year sentence in a penal colony after being convicted of attempting to bring medical marijuana into Russia. The Biden State Department also labeled Fogel as wrongfully detained. Fogel’s sister said the family felt “stabbed in the back” when he was excluded from a major prisoner swap that freed journalist Evan Gershkovich.
National security adviser Mike Waltz said at the time that Fogel’s release “serves as a show of good faith from the Russians and a sign we are moving in the right direction to end the brutal and terrible war in Ukraine.” The release of Hubbard is seen as another step in ongoing diplomatic efforts between Washington and Moscow, though Trump has defended his approach as achieving results without concessions. Critics, however, argue that such releases could be used by Moscow to gain leverage, especially as Ukraine's president pressures the U.S. on concessions. The situation remains fluid, with further negotiations expected.
