Stephen Hubbard, the 74-year-old American jailed in Russia after being accused of fighting for Ukraine, has been released from custody, Russian state news agencies reported.
US envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed the release after meeting Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg, where Hubbard was said to be waiting at Pulkovo Airport. The talks between Donald Trump’s administration and senior Russian officials were expected to focus mainly on the war in Ukraine.
Hubbard, a Michigan native, was the last American in Russia formally designated by the US State Department as wrongfully detained. Up to 10 other Americans, including dual nationals, remain in Russian custody.
He is in poor health and was expected to be flown to Texas for treatment at a military hospital.
Stephen Hubbard release follows appeal by Donald Trump
Mr Trump said on Tuesday that he had personally pressed President Putin to secure Hubbard’s freedom.
“Everybody’s been after Hubbard for a long time, long before I got here,” Mr Trump said at the White House. “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.”
“I’d love to get him back,” he added. “It’s time to have Mr. Hubbard back.”
Hubbard, a retired schoolteacher who served in the US National Guard and Air Force, was captured in Ukraine shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russian authorities accused him of manning a checkpoint for mercenaries, and he was sentenced in 2024 to almost seven years in a penal colony.
His family had little contact with him during his detention and has maintained his innocence. It was not immediately clear whether the US had agreed to anything in return for his release.
The development came after Mr Trump announced that his administration would waive some sanctions on Russia shortly before they were due to take effect. The decision was praised by Mr Putin but sharply criticised by members of Congress, including some Republicans.
Hubbard’s release follows the return of American Robert Gilman, who was freed from Russian custody in August after his health deteriorated to a life-threatening condition. Russia also released schoolteacher Marc Fogel early last year, while journalist Evan Gershkovich and former Marine Paul Whelan were among those freed in a multi-country prisoner swap in 2024.
