American Freed From Russia Didn't Know of Release Until Seeing US Flag

Stephen Hubbard, a U.S. citizen freed from Russian prison after over four years, did not know he was being released until he boarded a plane and saw an American flag, his sister said Thursday. Patricia Hubbard Fox said her 74-year-old brother, a retired teacher from Michigan, was taken from prison to Moscow without explanation and feared he was going to his death. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in 2024 for allegedly fighting with Ukrainian forces, a claim his legal team disputed. President Donald Trump said he requested Hubbard's release from Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month. Hubbard Fox reported her brother was starved and beaten in prison, and he will likely live with her in Colorado following a family reunion.