American freed from Russia didn't know release until seeing US flag

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American freed from Russian prison Wednesday, didn't realize he was released until he boarded a plane and saw the US flag, his sister said Thursday. He had been held over four years. Hubbard, a retired Michigan teacher, was accused of fighting for Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion and sentenced to nearly seven years in 2024. His sister said he was starved and beaten, with Ukrainian inmates carrying him. President Donald Trump said he requested the release from Putin. The US had designated Hubbard as wrongfully detained, and his lawyers disputed the military allegation. An Air Force veteran, he taught English overseas, retired to Cyprus, then moved to Ukraine for a relationship. His sister plans for him to live with her in Colorado.