US confirms release of American detained in Russia for over four years

nrk.no (Swedish) —

US President Donald Trump confirmed Wednesday that American citizen Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan detained by Russia for over four years, has been released. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the release, citing "humanitarian reasons," according to Russian state media. Hubbard was arrested at his home in Ukraine months after Russia's February 2022 invasion and sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison for allegedly fighting as a mercenary. The US has maintained the charges were fabricated, and Trump said he requested Hubbard's release during a phone call with Putin last week, with no exchange involved. Putin announced the release during a Wednesday meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, who thanked Putin and called him a "humanitarian" person. Hubbard is expected to fly back to the US with Witkoff, who will first return to Oslo to brief Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on the talks.


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