Stephen Hubbard, a retired teacher and U.S. Air Force veteran, was released from Russian custody on Wednesday after spending more than four years in prison. President Trump said Hubbard had landed back in the United States. Hubbard’s family and lawyers said he had been living in Ukraine’s Izium when Russia took him captive in 2022; he was later sentenced to nearly seven years on accusations of acting as a mercenary for Kyiv.
WHO:Russian authorities
WHAT:Released Stephen Hubbard from custody after more than four years in prison.
WHEN:Reported Oct 22, 2026 at 1:17 PM ET
WHERE:Russia
WHY:The reason for Hubbard’s release was not reported.
How this story developed (showing 4 of 4 earlier reports)
