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Russian President Vladimir Putin said U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard has been released from custody and is at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. Hubbard was convicted in Russia of mercenary activity after joining a territorial defense unit in Ukraine; details of the release and his onward travel were not reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 21 that U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard has been released after serving time following a Russian conviction for mercenary activity tied to fighting on Ukraine’s side. Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg as he made the announcement at the start of a meeting with U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff.
Putin announced Hubbard’s release during his meeting with Steve Witkoff, a U.S. presidential envoy. The Russian president said Hubbard was already at Pulkovo Airport, but the report did not give details about when the release took place, whether Hubbard had left the airport, or where he was expected to go next.
Hubbard was 72 at the time of his sentencing. A Russian court sentenced him in October 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison on mercenary charges. Those charges concerned his involvement with Ukrainian forces; the conviction was made by a Russian court, and the source report does not provide Hubbard’s response to the charges or further details about the proceedings.
In the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Hubbard joined a territorial defense unit in the Kharkiv region, where he had lived for many years. Russian forces captured him in April 2022, according to the report. His reported release follows the prison sentence and comes as Witkoff is visiting Russia, though Putin’s announcement does not establish whether the release was part of a formal agreement.
A Release During U.S.-Russia Talks
Hubbard’s release is a development involving a U.S. citizen held in Russia and was announced in the presence of a U.S. presidential envoy. That gives the case relevance beyond Hubbard’s individual circumstances: it may become part of the broader discussion between Washington and Moscow over detained Americans and bilateral relations.
The New York Times reported the day before Putin’s announcement that Witkoff would try to secure Hubbard’s release during his Russia trip, describing the effort as a way to “show the benefits of deal-making” with Putin. That report provides context for the timing, but the available information does not confirm what role Witkoff played in the release or whether the two governments reached a specific arrangement.
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From Kharkiv Service to Russian Sentence
Hubbard had lived for many years in the Kharkiv region before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. He joined a local territorial defense unit in the first days of the invasion and was captured by Russian forces in April 2022, the Meduza report said.
More than two years later, in October 2024, a Russian court sentenced him to six years and 10 months on mercenary charges. The report identifies the conviction and sentence but does not provide a detailed account of the evidence presented at trial. Putin’s October 21 announcement marks a new development in the case, but the precise legal or diplomatic basis for the release was not specified.
“Putin said Stephen Hubbard had been released and was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.”
— Vladimir Putin, speaking at the start of a meeting with U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff
Release Terms Remain Unreported
The available report does not say when or under what terms Hubbard was released, whether the release followed a formal U.S.-Russia agreement, or whether any other detainees were involved. Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport, but there was no reported confirmation of his departure from Russia or his destination.
The account also does not describe the legal process behind the release, or provide a statement from Hubbard, his representatives, or U.S. officials. The Russian conviction and sentence are reported facts about the court’s decision; the source material does not independently establish the underlying allegations or explain Hubbard’s position on them.
Travel and Official Confirmation
The next immediate development is whether Hubbard leaves Pulkovo Airport and travels out of Russia. Further statements from U.S. officials or Hubbard’s representatives could clarify his location, condition, and plans, as well as whether the release was negotiated as part of a broader diplomatic understanding.
For now, the confirmed update in the source report is Putin’s announcement that Hubbard had been released and was at the airport. No further travel details or agreement terms were available at the time of publication.
Key Questions
Who is Stephen Hubbard?
Hubbard is a U.S. citizen who had lived for many years in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. He joined a territorial defense unit in the early days of Russia’s full-scale invasion and was captured by Russian forces in April 2022, according to the report.
Why was Hubbard imprisoned in Russia?
A Russian court convicted Hubbard on mercenary activity charges and sentenced him in October 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison. The available report does not give a detailed account of the court evidence or Hubbard’s response.
Where was Hubbard when Putin announced his release?
Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. The report did not confirm whether he had left the airport or identify his destination.
Was Hubbard’s release part of a U.S.-Russia deal?
That has not been confirmed. The New York Times reported that Witkoff would seek Hubbard’s release during his Russia visit, but the available information does not establish whether an agreement was reached or what role the envoy played.
Source: rss
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