The Russian president announced that the American Stephen Hubbard, 75, sentenced in Russia to almost seven years in prison for “mercenarism” for the benefit of Ukraine, was at Pulkovo airport, near Saint Petersburg. Donald Trump confirmed that Hubbard was “on his way” to the United States and was released without “compensation”
During a meeting with the Russian president in St. Petersburg, American envoy Steve Witkoff thanked him on behalf of Donald Trump and “the entire American nation,” according to images broadcast by Russian public television. “You often say that my president, Donald Trump, is a humanist. You are a humanist yourself, sir. And I welcome that,” he said.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump indicated that he had personally asked Vladimir Putin for the release of Stephen Hubbard, suggesting that an outcome was near.
Convicted of mercenarism for the benefit of Ukraine
A retired English teacher, Stephen Hubbard settled in 2014 with his Ukrainian partner in the Izyum region, in the north-east of Ukraine. According to Moscow, he joined the Ukrainian territorial defense at the start of the Russian invasion, for remuneration of at least $1,000 per month. He was reportedly captured on April 2, 2022, during the occupation of Izioum by Russian forces.
His fate remained unknown for almost two and a half years. It was only in September 2024 that Russia revealed that it was detaining him, at the opening of his closed-door trial. A month later, he was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison for “mercenarism,” a charge he disputes.
Questioned by AFP, the Ukrainian authorities indicated that they had no trace of his presence within the territorial defense. A former Ukrainian fellow prisoner also claimed that Stephen Hubbard had been tortured by his Russian jailers.
