Stephen Hubbard released from Russian detention after nearly five years
Stephen James Hubbard, a retired American teacher, was released by Russia on Wednesday after nearly five years in detention in the midst of an apparent warming of ties between Washington and Moscow, reports BritPanorama.
The 74-year-old from Michigan had been living in eastern Ukraine for years when Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. He was detained two months into the war as Russia captured swaths of Ukrainian territory. Two years later, he was convicted by a Russian court of serving as a mercenary.
The news of his release emerged from a meeting between President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, where they were due to discuss an end to the Ukraine war.
Witkoff thanked Putin for freeing Hubbard during their on-camera talks, and Putin confirmed that the American was at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo Airport, suggesting his return to the U.S. could be imminent. Witkoff later met with Hubbard at an undisclosed location.
In video from Russian state news agency Ria, Hubbard was seen wearing a green jacket and smiling. “Thank you very much for all your efforts,” the freed American told Witkoff as they shook hands. Putin sent Hubbard “blessings,” Witkoff added, claiming, “from today, it’s a new life.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that Putin released Hubbard “on humanitarian grounds,” though further details were not provided.
Hubbard’s family acknowledged both Trump’s and Putin’s roles in securing his release. “We have been gravely concerned for his safety and health since his 2022 detention,” said Hubbard’s son, the Rev. Joseph Coleman, an Orthodox priest, in a statement on behalf of the family. “Never once did we waver as we prayed for success in these negotiations, and we must acknowledge that this humanitarian move by President Putin in this matter is deeply appreciated,” the statement read.
Martin De Luca, Hubbard’s lawyer, confirmed that his client was the only American in Russia currently designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained. His firm appealed for privacy “as Stephen recovers and reconnects with the people who love him.”
“Stephen is on his way back home and will soon be with his family,” Trump stated in a post on Truth Social shortly after Witkoff announced Hubbard’s release. “The United States, out of respect for President Trump, was not required to give anything in return — an unprecedented situation for Russia.”
Trump further clarified that there was no “swap” involved for this release, though he mentioned in a later post that “those negotiations would have come to a complete and total halt” had the U.S. proceeded with sanctions that he waived last week.
Hubbard had been sentenced in a closed-door trial in 2024, with limited information released about his case by Russian state media.
At the time, prosecutors alleged that as the Kremlin initiated its “special military operation” in Ukraine in February 2022, Hubbard voluntarily joined a territorial defense battalion in the eastern city of Izyum, where he had resided since 2014. They claimed he took part in the war and received financial compensation prior to his detention in April 2022.
Russian authorities asserted that Hubbard was aware of the unlawful nature of his actions, claiming he participated in combat operations against the Russian Armed Forces. Despite this, De Luca indicated that Hubbard had maintained the charges were false and he was not involved in any combat or military unit.
The New York Times reported last year that Patricia Hubbard Fox, Hubbard’s sister, contested claims that he fought for Ukraine, a sentiment echoed by three former Ukrainian prisoners of war held alongside him. Fox noted that her brother held a master’s degree in English and had previously lived in Japan and Cyprus before settling in eastern Ukraine, where he had a Ukrainian partner. She stated that Hubbard did not speak either Ukrainian or Russian and taught English online to supplement his income.
Izyum, where Fox reported her brother had settled, was occupied by Russian forces for six months in 2022 but was recaptured by Ukraine in a significant counteroffensive. It remains under Ukrainian control and is not part of the four Ukrainian oblasts illegally annexed by Russia.
Hubbard’s release follows that of former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman, who was freed in August after spending over four years in a Russian prison.
Washington has long accused Moscow of arbitrarily detaining American citizens, leveraging their cases for prisoner swaps involving state-backed intelligence operatives held globally.
High-profile cases include U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich, released during a swap in 2024, and Marine veteran Paul Whelan, who was jailed on espionage charges. WNBA star Brittney Griner was freed in exchange for a Russian arms dealer after being detained on drug charges in 2022.
Hubbard’s release marks a notable moment amidst ongoing tensions and negotiations over detainee treatment, leaving many questions about future exchanges and diplomacy in this complex landscape.
