Who is Stephen Hubbard? Why did Putin free a 74-year-old American teacher imprisoned as a Ukrainian war “mercenary”? Explained | Today’s news
Russia has released Stephen James Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American teacher jailed on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, after nearly two years in custody and nearly seven years in prison. His release comes amid a renewed diplomatic standoff between Washington and Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump said during a phone call last week that he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to release Hubbard.
Trump said the United States did not have to release anyone in exchange for their return.
“Welcome home Stephen, great to have you back,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Hubbard’s release coincided with a visit to Russia by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met Putin in St Petersburg for talks that included the war in Ukraine.
The development comes as the Trump administration continues its efforts to broker an end to the conflict, which began with a large-scale Russian invasion in February 2022.
Why did Russia release Stephen Hubbard?
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the U.S. side had been warning about Hubbard’s release for a long time and that Putin had reportedly decided to release him on “humanitarian grounds.”
Putin’s foreign policy adviser Yuri Ushakov said the Russian president had pardoned Hubbard. It was subsequently handed over to Witkoff at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, allowing the American to begin his journey home, according to the AP.
Witkoff thanked Putin for the release during their televised meeting, described the Russian president as a humanitarian and said Hubbard was returning to his family.
In footage released by Russia’s state news agency RIA, Hubbard was seen wearing a green jacket and smiling when he met Witkoff.
He thanked the envoy for his efforts, while Witkoff told him that Putin had sent his blessing and that he was starting a new life.
The release came against the backdrop of diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the war.
Why was an American teacher imprisoned in Russia?
Hubbard, who is from Michigan, had been living in eastern Ukraine for several years when Russia launched its all-out invasion in February 2022. He was detained about two months after the invasion as Russian forces seized territory in eastern Ukraine.
Russian prosecutors alleged that Hubbard signed a contract with the Ukrainian military and fought alongside Kiev forces before being captured.
A Russian court sentenced him to nearly seven years in prison in 2024 after closed proceedings, AP reported.
The allegations were disputed by Hubbard’s legal team, who argued that he had not participated in military activity.
Former US President Joe Biden’s administration reportedly called him wrongfully detained.
Hubbard’s case has attracted attention because of his age, the circumstances of his detention, and the disputed allegations that he fought for Ukraine.
His lawyer, Martin De Luca, told NBC News that he spoke with Hubbard as he prepared to board a plane to the United States after his release. De Luca said his client was overjoyed to be free.
Who is Stephen Hubbard? His life before his arrest
Hubbard grew up in Big Rapids, a small town in Michigan. As a young man he enlisted in the US Air Force and later the National Guard, though he didn’t stay long in either.
According to a New York Times report, his second marriage took him to Japan in the mid-1980s, where he joined the Russian Orthodox Church and developed Russian sympathies.
Family members described Hubbard as a reclusive person who avoided email and social media and was suspicious of potential government surveillance, the report said.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Hubbard sent family members updates on his daily life, including his efforts to find food and church attendance. Text messages exchanged with the son, who lives in Japan, did not indicate he had joined the Ukrainian military, according to the report.
What does Hubbard’s release mean for US-Russia relations?
Hubbard’s release came during a visit to Witkoff, a key figure in the Trump administration’s attempts to bring Russia and Ukraine to a negotiated settlement.
The meeting with Putin included discussions of the war as Washington urged an end to the fighting. The release also produced a humanitarian outcome amid broader diplomatic cooperation between the two countries.
Trump said Hubbard’s return was secured without reciprocal release from the United States. Meanwhile, Russian officials described the decision as a humanitarian act based on requests from the American side.
