Russia frees 74-year-old American Stephen Hubbard after Trump appeal
The retired Michigan teacher sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony has been taken to Pulkovo Airport after talks in St Petersburg.
US citizen freed in St Petersburg
Russia has agreed to release 74-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday during talks with US special envoy Steve Witkoff in St Petersburg.
Hubbard, a retired schoolteacher originally from Michigan, has been transferred to Pulkovo Airport ahead of his departure from the country, according to statements by Putin carried by Russian state media.
His release comes after direct appeals from US President Donald Trump, who told reporters in Washington earlier in the day that he had raised Hubbard's detention personally with Putin.
Detained in Ukraine in 2022
Hubbard was captured by Russian forces in 2022 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum. Russian prosecutors accused him of acting as a mercenary in a Ukrainian defence unit, allegations that resulted in a sentence of nearly seven years in a penal colony, handed down by a Moscow court in 2024.
The US State Department previously designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, and US officials had repeatedly sought his release.
Speaking at the Oval Office before the announcement, Trump hinted that a breakthrough was imminent. "I've been talking to President Putin about Mr Hubbard. I've been talking to him at length. I've asked him to release him," Trump said. "Watch what happens. We have been focused on Hubbard."
Broader diplomatic talks
The meeting between Putin and Witkoff in St Petersburg took place shortly after the US envoy met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Oslo as part of diplomatic efforts concerning the war in Ukraine.
During his Oval Office remarks, Trump reiterated his call for Zelensky to negotiate an end to the four-year conflict with Russia, pointing to ongoing Russian territorial advances.
In Oslo, Zelensky welcomed the resumption of US intelligence sharing regarding potential Russian missile and drone strikes, while reiterating that Ukraine must be a direct participant in any peace talks determining its territory and political future.
Key numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Age of Stephen Hubbard | 74 | Russian official statements and US reports |
| Penal colony sentence duration | Nearly seven years | Russian court ruling in 2024 |
| Year of capture | 2022 | Russian prosecutors |
In this story
| Name | Role in the story |
|---|---|
| Stephen Hubbard | US citizen released from Russian detention. |
| Vladimir Putin | President of Russia who agreed to the release. |
| Donald Trump | US President who requested Hubbard's release. |
| Russia | Country releasing the US citizen. |
