Brief

Putin says Russia has freed US citizen Stephen Hubbard after Trump appeal

The former schoolteacher was released at St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport after US envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:48:23 GMT

President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday that Russia had released American citizen Stephen Hubbard, 74, who had been held in a Russian penal colony since April 2022.

What happened

Hubbard was escorted to St Petersburg’s Pulkovo airport, where he waited to board a flight back to the United States with US special envoy Steve Witkoff, according to the Independent. The release coincided with Witkoff’s visit to Russia to discuss ideas for ending the war in Europe.

What the reports add

The Independent reported that Putin said the decision followed a plea from US President Donald Trump, who told reporters at the White House that he had spoken to Putin about Hubbard and described the detainee as “wrongfully detained” by the State Department. The New York Post added that Hubbard, a retired schoolteacher, had previously lived in Japan, Cyprus and, from 2014, in Izyum, eastern Ukraine, where he moved with a Ukrainian partner. The Post also noted that his sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, told Reuters in 2024 that he survived on a pension of about $300 a month.

What was said

Putin told Steve Witkoff that Hubbard was waiting at the airport, and Witkoff thanked him for the “goodwill gesture,” the Independent reported. Trump said to reporters, “Just stick with me… I don’t want to talk about it, but everybody has been after Hubbard for a long time… Watch what happens,” also cited by the Independent.

How it came about

Hubbard was arrested after Russia captured Izyum in early 2022 and was sentenced to nearly seven years for allegedly fighting for Ukraine, a charge he denies. His detention was highlighted in a Felo News article on the same day, which covered Trump’s claim that the release followed his phone call to Putin and required no prisoner swap.

Key facts

Stephen Hubbard, 74, was released from Russian detention on 21 October 2026. (independent.co.uk)
Hubbard had been held since April 2022 on charges of fighting for Ukraine. (independent.co.uk)
US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to Putin about Hubbard before the release. (independent.co.uk)
US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin in St Petersburg and thanked him for the release. (independent.co.uk)
Hubbard is a retired schoolteacher who previously lived in Japan, Cyprus and Izyum, Ukraine. (nypost.com)

Timeline

2022-04-01 — Stephen Hubbard detained by Russian authorities in Izyum.
2024-05-15 — Hubbard's sister Patricia Hubbard Fox told Reuters about his pension and living conditions.
2026-10-21 — Putin announces Hubbard's release; US envoy Steve Witkoff present.