Quick Info
| Profession | Retired schoolteacher |
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| Nationality | American |
Latest News about Stephen Hubbard
Russian state media reported that Stephen Hubbard had been released after a visit to Moscow by US special envoy Steve Witkoff. The report followed weeks of US efforts to secure his return, which Trump had publicly called for. The release had not been independently confirmed by US officials in the coverage reviewed.
ABC News reported that the Trump administration was closing in on a deal with Moscow that could free several Americans held in Russia, with talks centred on Hubbard. Reuters reported that Witkoff was expected to raise his possible release with President Vladimir Putin that week. Officials cautioned that nothing had been finalised.
The US government designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, a determination that signals the administration believes the charges against him are unfounded. The designation allowed Washington to pursue his release through diplomatic channels.
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Bio/Wiki
| Summary | Stephen Hubbard is an American retired schoolteacher who grew up in Big Rapids, Michigan. He was held in Russian detention from 2022 and was convicted in Moscow in October 2024 of being a mercenary for Ukraine, a charge he has disputed through his lawyer. In January 2025 the US government designated him as wrongfully detained. In October 2026 US envoy talks with Russia centred on his possible release, and Russian state media later reported that he had been freed following a visit to Moscow by US envoy Steve Witkoff. |
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Personal Life
| Military Service | Served in the US Air Force and the National Guard, according to military records cited by the New York Times |
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| Residence History | Taught English in Japan for about 25 years before moving to Ukraine in 2014 |
| Reported Living Circumstances | His sister said he subsisted on a pension of about $300 a month and had few local connections |
Relationships & More
| Legal Representative | Martin De Luca, a US-based lawyer |
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Family
| Sister | Trisha Hubbard Fox |
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Career
| Teaching | Taught English in Japan for about 25 years and was a retired schoolteacher |
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| Military Service | US Air Force and National Guard |
| Detention and Legal Case | Detained by Russian forces in April 2022 according to Russian state media; convicted by a Moscow court in October 2024 of being a mercenary and sentenced to six years and ten months in prison |
| Government Designation | Designated as wrongfully detained by the US government in January 2025 |
| Current Status | Russian state media reported in October 2026 that he had been released after a visit to Moscow by US envoy Steve Witkoff; the release was not confirmed by US officials in the sources reviewed |
Some Lesser Known Facts
| 1. His legal team reportedly learned only in April 2025 that he was being held in a facility in the Mordovia region | |
| 2. He is reported to be the only American held in Russia officially designated as wrongfully detained by the State Department | |
| 3. His sister said he was a pacifist and had never owned a gun | |
| 4. His lawyer said he was taken from his home by Russian soldiers rather than captured in combat |
