Stephen James Hubbard, a 73-year-old retired English teacher from Michigan, has been imprisoned in Russia since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. After living in Japan, Cyprus, and finally Ukraine, he was arrested by Russian forces shortly after the invasion and accused of fighting as a mercenary. In October, a Moscow court sentenced him to nearly seven years in a penal colony.
The U.S. State Department has designated him as "wrongfully detained," calling the charges fabricated. Former Ukrainian prisoners who shared a cell with Hubbard describe severe torture, including beatings, dog attacks, and forced standing. He is one of 13 Americans held in Russian prisons and the only one known to have been taken from Ukraine.
His family cannot locate his prison, and the U.S. Embassy in Moscow has not been granted access. His sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, says he has lost everything, including his glasses.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing