Russia released an American man who had been imprisoned for more than four years on charges related to the conflict in Ukraine, in a move announced Wednesday during a visit by a senior U.S. envoy to St. Petersburg. Stephen James Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, was flown back to the United States following a pardon granted by Russian President Vladimir Putin, who cited humanitarian reasons for the release.
Hubbard was convicted in 2024 in a closed court proceeding and sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony on accusations of fighting as a Ukrainian mercenary after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Russian authorities said he had signed a contract with Ukrainian forces and participated in hostilities before his capture. However, the U.S. government, including the Biden administration, designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, and his legal representatives disputed the claim that he engaged in combat activities.
The release occurred amid continuing tensions in U.S.-Russia-Ukraine relations. Steve Witkoff, a special envoy appointed by former President Donald Trump, met with Putin to discuss potential peace proposals aimed at ending the war, which began in February 2022 and is approaching its fifth year. After the meeting, Witkoff publicly thanked Putin for the release, calling him a "humanitarian," a comment that drew attention given Putin’s role as the initiator of the conflict and his status as a war crimes suspect by the International Criminal Court.
President Trump had previously indicated that he personally requested Hubbard’s release during a phone call with Putin last week. Trump stated that the United States did not offer a prisoner swap or other concessions in exchange for Hubbard’s freedom, a departure from prior detainee exchanges between the two countries. Hubbard’s two sons, who live in Cyprus and Japan, joined him after his return.
Hubbard, an Air Force veteran who had lived in Ukraine for several years before Russia’s invasion, was reportedly subjected to harsh treatment, including periods of torture and malnutrition, during his detention. His legal team, along with U.S. diplomatic officials including Jared Kushner, participated in the arrangements for his release. Hubbard was taken to a U.S. State Department facility in Texas for medical evaluation before a possible visit to the White House.
The release coincides with other recent developments, including the August freeing of Marine veteran Robert Gilman from Russian custody and ongoing arrests of foreign nationals on similar charges. Russian authorities also announced the detention of a German citizen under circumstances resembling Hubbard’s case. Meanwhile, Witkoff, after discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Norway, sought to incorporate European and U.S. ideas into his talks with Russian officials.
The move to free Hubbard was described by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as a gesture of goodwill. However, analysts note that the release comes at a politically sensitive time, with the Trump administration pursuing policies perceived as favorable to Moscow, such as waiving certain sanctions designed to hamper Russia’s war efforts and seeking to import Russian diesel fuel to alleviate U.S. energy costs ahead of upcoming elections. Public opinion in the United States remains largely unfavorable toward Russia, with polling showing a significant majority viewing the country negatively.