# Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard, 74, as Witkoff meets Putin in St Petersburg Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/us/russia-frees-american-stephen-hubbard-74-as-witkoff-meets-putin-in-st-petersburg) Type: News article Author: Searchable Editorial Published: 21 Oct 2026 Updated: 21 Oct 2026 Retrieved: 26 Oct 2026 > The retired Michigan teacher was detained in Izium in 2022 and jailed as a mercenary. Washington called him wrongfully detained. Russia has freed Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American held for more than four years after he was detained in eastern Ukraine, on the day US envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg. Hubbard, a retired teacher from Michigan, was taken to the city's Pulkovo Airport, the same airport where Witkoff had landed, The News reported, citing Reuters. The Kyiv Independent reported that Putin told Witkoff of the release during their meeting, according to the Russian state broadcaster Vesti. ## Who is Stephen Hubbard? Hubbard had lived in Ukraine since about 2014. Russian forces detained him in April 2022 in Izium, in the Kharkiv region, about two months after the full-scale invasion began. Russia accused him of fighting as a mercenary at a Ukrainian checkpoint, and a Russian court sentenced him in October 2024 to 6 years and 10 months in prison. His family and lawyer have always disputed the charge. His US lawyer, Martin De Luca, told Reuters that Hubbard said he was never in any combat or military unit. His sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, told Reuters in September that he held pro-Russian views and was unlikely to have fought at his age. The US State Department designated him as "wrongfully detained". ## Freed as Witkoff talks to Putin about Ukraine Witkoff, President Donald Trump's special envoy, is in Russia for talks focused on a settlement of the war in Ukraine. Before the trip, US officials said the release of Hubbard was one of the aims. Trump said he had raised the case with Putin directly, and Witkoff thanked Putin after the meeting. Neither side has described a prisoner exchange for Hubbard. ## Why it matters The release is a goodwill gesture at the start of a new round of US-Russia contacts. Kyiv and its European backers will watch whether it comes with any change in Washington's position on the war. As Witkoff travelled, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky insisted, CNBC reported, there could be "nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine", while Trump has pressed Kyiv to settle. Any easing of tension between the big powers matters to oil and currency markets that set prices in Pakistan: see the latest [petrol price](/data/petrol-price) and the [dollar rate in Pakistan](/data/usd-pkr). ## Frequently asked questions **Who is Stephen Hubbard?** A 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan who lived in Ukraine, was detained by Russian forces in Izium in April 2022 and sentenced as a mercenary. The US called him wrongfully detained. Russia freed him on 21 October 2026. ## Sources - Russia frees 74-year-old US citizen Stephen Hubbard as Putin-Witkoff meeting continues (The News): https://www.thenews.com.pk/amp/1420751-russia-frees-74-year-old-us-citizen-stephen-hubbard-as-putin-witkoff-meeting-continues - Russia releases US prisoner Stephen Hubbard during Witkoff visit (The Kyiv Independent): https://kyivindependent.com/russia-releases-us-prisoner-stephen-hubbard-during-witkoff-visit/ - Stephen James Hubbard (Wikipedia): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_James_Hubbard - Witkoff heads to Russia for Putin talks as Zelenskyy insists 'nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine' (CNBC): https://www.cnbc.com/2026/10/21/witkoff-russia-putin-ukraine-zelenskyy.html How to cite: "Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard, 74, as Witkoff meets Putin in St Petersburg", Searchable, 21 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/us/russia-frees-american-stephen-hubbard-74-as-witkoff-meets-putin-in-st-petersburg