US prisoner tortured in Russian jail, Ukrainian cellmates say

Freed US citizen Stephen Hubbard was tortured in Russian prisons, including beatings and sexual humiliation, according to two former Ukrainian inmates who witnessed his four-year detention. The accounts corroborate family claims of abuse during his captivity. Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired English teacher, was captured in April 2022 in Izyum and convicted on mercenary charges. Witnesses described guards targeting him for his nationality, forcing him to sing the anthem, beating him, and using stun guns, with his health deteriorating from cold, hunger, and untreated wounds. Hubbard was released in October 2026 after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin, with President Donald Trump claiming credit. One witness called the timing "shameful PR," while both expressed hope that Russian guards would eventually face justice for their actions.