TL;DR
Get movie nights delivered free with Prime
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
- Member-only deals all year
Russian President Vladimir Putin said U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard has been released and is at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 on mercenary charges after joining Ukraine’s territorial defense; details of his release and his next steps have not been reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said October 21 that U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard has been released from Russian custody, adding that Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. Hubbard, who joined Ukraine’s territorial defense after Russia’s 2022 invasion, had been serving a prison sentence following a Russian court’s conviction on mercenary charges.
Putin made the announcement at the start of a meeting with Steve Witkoff, a U.S. presidential envoy. Putin said Hubbard was already at Pulkovo Airport, but the announcement did not include details about how or when the release was arranged, or whether Hubbard was preparing to leave Russia.
Hubbard was 72 at the time of his sentencing. A Russian court sentenced him in October 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison on charges of mercenary activity. The available report does not provide details about the court proceedings beyond the conviction and sentence.
According to the report, Hubbard had lived for many years in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. In the first days of Russia’s full-scale invasion, he joined a local territorial defense unit. Russian forces captured him in April 2022, according to the same account. His release was reported by Meduza, citing Putin’s public announcement.
A Release During U.S.-Russia Talks
Hubbard’s release is a concrete development in a period of direct contact between U.S. and Russian representatives, though the announcement alone does not establish what role the meeting or any negotiations played in securing it. His case also illustrates how people who joined Ukraine’s defense have faced prosecution in Russia under mercenary charges.
The timing has drawn attention because Putin announced the release while meeting Witkoff. The New York Times reported the previous day that Witkoff would seek Hubbard’s release during his Russia trip, describing the effort as a chance to “show the benefits of deal-making” with Putin. That report outlined an intended effort; it does not by itself confirm the terms or circumstances of the release.
For Hubbard and his family, the immediate importance is that Putin says he is no longer in prison. For readers following U.S.-Russia relations, the episode is a notable case-specific outcome amid official contact, but it should not be taken as evidence of a broader agreement or a change in policy without further information.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From Kharkiv Defense to Prison
Hubbard’s case began after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The report says he was living in the Kharkiv region and joined its territorial defense in the first days of the invasion. Russian forces captured him in April of that year.
More than two years later, in October 2024, a Russian court sentenced him to six years and 10 months for mercenary activity. The source describes the conviction as a court action, not as an independently established finding about Hubbard’s conduct. The current announcement concerns his release; it does not provide new information about the legal basis for his conviction or the sentence.
The New York Times’ report on Witkoff’s planned effort appeared one day before Putin’s announcement. The close timing is relevant, but the publicly reported material does not state whether the release resulted from a specific U.S.-Russia deal, a formal exchange, or another arrangement.
“Hubbard is already at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg.”
— Vladimir Putin, as reported by Meduza
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Release Terms Remain Undisclosed
Putin’s announcement, as reported by Meduza, does not explain the conditions or mechanism of Hubbard’s release. It is not clear whether he was released through a negotiated arrangement, whether any conditions apply, or whether he is free to leave Russia. The report also does not provide a statement from Hubbard, his family, or U.S. officials confirming his status independently.
It is likewise unclear whether Hubbard has departed Pulkovo Airport or where he will go next. The timing alongside Witkoff’s meeting is confirmed in the report, but the connection between the meeting and the release has not been established publicly in the supplied information. No broader prisoner arrangement or policy change was announced in the account.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Confirmation and Travel Plans
The next developments to watch are confirmation of Hubbard’s status from U.S. officials or Hubbard himself, and information about whether he has left Russia. Further statements from the U.S. delegation or Russian authorities could clarify how the release was arranged and whether any conditions apply.
Until those details emerge, the confirmed account is limited: Putin said Hubbard had been released and was at Pulkovo Airport. The source material does not give a departure schedule, a destination, or a public timetable for additional announcements.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Key Questions
Who is Stephen Hubbard?
Stephen Hubbard is a U.S. citizen who had lived for many years in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region. According to the report, he joined the region’s territorial defense after Russia invaded Ukraine and was captured by Russian forces in April 2022.
Why was Hubbard imprisoned in Russia?
A Russian court convicted Hubbard on mercenary activity charges and sentenced him in October 2024 to six years and 10 months in prison. The supplied report does not provide further details of the trial.
Where is Hubbard now?
Putin said Hubbard was at Pulkovo Airport in St. Petersburg. The report does not confirm whether Hubbard has since left the airport or Russia.
Did Steve Witkoff secure Hubbard’s release?
The New York Times reported that Witkoff was expected to seek Hubbard’s release during his Russia trip. Putin announced the release at the start of a meeting with Witkoff, but the available reporting does not establish what role the meeting played or disclose any agreement.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
