Russia Frees US Citizen Stephen Hubbard After More Than Four Years in Custody

Russia has released American citizen Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher who had been imprisoned over allegations that he fought alongside Ukrainian forces, according to Russian state media and US officials.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Hubbard’s release on Wednesday, October 21, during a meeting with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg. Putin said the 74-year-old was at Pulkovo Airport, preparing to return to the United States.

Witkoff thanked Putin for the release, saying Hubbard was going home to his family. The development followed US President Donald Trump’s public appeal for Moscow to release the American, who had been held in Russian custody since 2022.

Hubbard, originally from Michigan, was arrested in April 2022 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum after Russian forces took control of the area. Russian prosecutors accused him of joining a Ukrainian territorial defence unit and participating in combat against Russian forces.

In October 2024, a Moscow court sentenced him to six years and 10 months in prison following a closed-door trial. Russian state media reported that he had pleaded guilty, but his US-based lawyer, Martin De Luca, previously told Reuters that Hubbard maintained the allegations were false and that he had not served in a combat unit.

The US government under the previous administration designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained in January 2025. His case became part of wider diplomatic efforts to secure the release of Americans held in Russia.

Hubbard’s release comes as Washington and Moscow continue discussions over the war in Ukraine. Witkoff’s visit to St Petersburg followed meetings with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European representatives in Norway, where US officials said discussions focused on possible approaches to ending the conflict.

Although the release marks a significant development for Hubbard and his family, Russian officials have not publicly provided detailed information about the arrangements that led to his freedom.

The announcement also comes amid renewed efforts by the Trump administration to negotiate with Moscow over Ukraine, as the war continues and questions remain over security guarantees, territorial disputes and the prospects for a lasting peace agreement.