Stephen Hubbard Returns to US After Russia Releases Retired American Teacher

Stephen Hubbard, a retired American teacher, was taken captive by Russia in 2022. His family and lawyers said he had been living in the Ukrainian city of Izium, according to The Hindu.

Russia accused him of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. He was convicted in Moscow in 2024, ARD Tagesschau reported. TMZ reported that Hubbard denied the allegations.

Washington designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained in January 2025, according to the New York Post, enabling the US government to pursue negotiations for his release.

On October 21, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Hubbard's release during a visit by President Donald Trump's special envoy, Steve Witkoff, Deutsche Welle reported. The meeting in St Petersburg also involved fresh talks on ending the war in Ukraine, according to The Guardian.

Trump told reporters that he had asked Putin to free Hubbard during a recent phone call. He said the United States had not given up anyone in return, NDTV reported. According to BirGün, Trump also said Washington had made no concessions.

Witkoff thanked Putin and called him a "humanitarian." That description drew criticism from lawmakers, The Hill reported, bringing political controversy alongside the welcome for Hubbard's release.

Early on October 22, Hubbard arrived at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, according to The Hill. His arrival confirmed that he was home, rather than still travelling from Russia.

On October 23, BBC News reported allegations from Ukrainians imprisoned alongside Hubbard that Russian guards had subjected him to beatings and sexual humiliation. Their accounts raised new questions about his treatment during detention.

Hubbard is now back in the United States. His release ended more than four years in Russian custody, but the accounts of abuse have shifted attention toward what happened to him in prison.

His freedom does not resolve the cases of other Americans held in Russia. Around two dozen remain in Russian prisons for various reasons, according to the Foley Foundation, a hostage advocacy group cited by Euronews.

A central open question is what further evidence emerges about Hubbard's treatment in custody. The torture allegations reported by BBC News come from former Ukrainian prisoners who say they witnessed abuse.

Another is whether further releases follow. Trump described Hubbard's release as requiring no prisoner exchange, according to NDTV, but that account does not establish terms or a timetable for other detained Americans.