US envoy says Russia has released jailed American Stephen Hubbard
Witkoff thanked Putin for Hubbard’s release during talks in St Petersburg; Putin said the American was at an airport, but his departure from Russia remains unclear.
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US envoy Steve Witkoff said on Wednesday that Russia had released Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher imprisoned after a conviction for mercenary activity in Ukraine. Witkoff thanked President Vladimir Putin during talks in St Petersburg, telling him: “Because of you, he’s going home to his family.” [4]
Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo airport in St Petersburg, according to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti. It is not yet clear whether Hubbard has left Russia. [2]
Hubbard, 74, had been held since 2022. Following a closed trial, a Moscow court sentenced him in October 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison under Russia’s mercenary law. The US government designated him wrongfully detained. [3] [4] [5]
Russian prosecutors alleged that Hubbard had signed a contract with a Ukrainian military unit in Izyum. His US-based lawyer, Martin De Luca, previously told Reuters that Hubbard said the charges were false and that he had not been part of any combat or military unit. [3] [5]
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