Retired American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Released from Russian Detention
Retired U.S. teacher Stephen Hubbard has been released from Russian custody after five years. Learn the details of his return and the diplomatic context.
POLICY WIRE — Washington, D.C. — Stephen James Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired American educator from Michigan, has been released by Russia following nearly five years of detention. His liberation occurred amid signs of thawing diplomatic relations between Washington and Moscow.
Hubbard had been residing in eastern Ukraine for years prior to the 2022 Russian invasion. He was taken into custody two months into the conflict as Russian forces seized territory, eventually facing a 2024 conviction for allegedly serving as a mercenary.
The release was announced during a meeting between President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The two leaders were convened to discuss potential pathways to ending the war in Ukraine.
During their televised discussion, Witkoff expressed gratitude to Putin for the release. Putin indicated that Hubbard was already at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg, signaling that his return to the United States was imminent. Witkoff later confirmed he met with Hubbard at a secure, undisclosed location.
Footage released by the Russian state agency Ria showed a smiling Hubbard wearing a green jacket. He thanked Witkoff for his efforts, while the envoy relayed blessings from Putin, telling the former teacher that he was beginning a new life.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the release was granted on humanitarian grounds, though no further specifics were provided. Hubbard’s family, including his son, the Rev. Joseph Coleman, expressed deep appreciation for the humanitarian gesture.
Martin De Luca, Hubbard’s attorney, noted that his client was the only American currently designated by the U.S. government as wrongfully detained in Russia. The legal team has requested privacy as Hubbard reunites with his family.
President Trump confirmed the news on Truth Social, emphasizing that the release required no prisoner swap. Trump noted that the U.S. was not required to offer anything in return, describing the situation as unprecedented.
Russian prosecutors had previously alleged that Hubbard voluntarily joined a territorial defense battalion in Izyum in 2022 to participate in combat for personal enrichment. However, Hubbard’s lawyer and family have consistently maintained that these charges were fabricated and that he was never part of any military unit.
Hubbard’s sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, previously stated that her brother was an English teacher who did not speak Russian or Ukrainian. She noted that he had lived in Japan and Cyprus before settling in Izyum, a city currently held by Ukraine.
This release follows the August liberation of former U.S. Marine Robert Gilman. The U.S. government has long accused Moscow of using the arbitrary detention of American citizens as leverage for international prisoner exchanges, such as the high-profile cases of Evan Gershkovich, Paul Whelan, and Brittney Griner.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
