Russia released 74-year-old U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard from prison on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, following a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Hubbard, a retired schoolteacher from Michigan, had been in Russian custody since 2022. Following his release in St. Petersburg, he was taken to Pulkovo airport to return to the United States.
Hubbard was arrested in April 2022 in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum. In a 2024 closed-door trial, he was sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison on charges of mercenary activity. Russian prosecutors alleged he joined a Ukrainian territorial defense unit for a promised $1,000 monthly payment. While state media reported a guilty plea, Hubbard’s lawyer, Martin De Luca, and his sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, disputed the allegations, stating Hubbard was not part of any military unit.
President Donald Trump stated on Truth Social that he requested Hubbard's release during a phone call with Putin last week. According to Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, Putin freed Hubbard due to "humanitarian considerations" and his poor health; Putin's aide Yuri Ushakov stated Putin pardoned him. Trump noted that, unlike previous prisoner exchanges, the U.S. was not required to trade anyone in return for Hubbard’s release.
During the meeting in St. Petersburg, Witkoff thanked Putin and described him as a "humanitarian." The remark drew criticism in Washington from lawmakers including Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), who called the comment "outrageous." Witkoff stated that his discussions with Russian officials were "constructive" and part of a broader mission to end the conflict in Ukraine.
The release affects Stephen Hubbard, his immediate family, and at least five other American families whose relatives remain imprisoned in Russia. Advocacy group Global Reach noted that while Hubbard was the last American designated as "wrongfully detained" by the U.S. government, other U.S. citizens remain in Russian custody, including some with serious illnesses. The release follows the August 2026 return of Marine veteran Robert Gilman and the February 2025 release of teacher Marc Fogel, who had been serving a 14-year sentence.
For the broader U.S. public, the event comes amid a shift in diplomatic channels. The Trump administration recently waived sanctions on Russia that had been intended to restrict financial resources for the war in Ukraine and announced a deal to import Russian diesel to lower domestic energy prices. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere reported that this diplomatic track is expected to lead to a "high-level tripartite meeting" between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine in mid-November 2026 to discuss a post-conflict security structure.
The release sets a precedent for direct negotiation without a prisoner swap, which Trump characterized as "unprecedented for Russia." However, the FSB, Russia’s security service, reported new arrests of foreign nationals recently, including a German citizen suspected of mercenary activity, a Swedish national suspected of sabotage, and a Japanese journalist accused of espionage.
Hubbard’s son, Joseph Coleman, confirmed he spoke with his father on Wednesday before the flight departed Russia. A high-level tripartite meeting between Washington, Moscow, and Kyiv is tentatively scheduled for mid-November 2026. U.S. midterm elections are scheduled for November 2026.