American Stephen Hubbard, 74, returns to U.S. after more than four years in Russian detention

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American teacher held by Russia for more than four years, has landed back in the United States, President Trump said. Hubbard was released from a Russian jail. The State Department has called the charges against him fabricated. His attorney, Martin De Luca, said Russian forces came to Hubbard's home and detained him, alleging he was working for Ukraine's armed forces. De Luca described the Russian court proceedings against Hubbard as arbitrary and conducted in secret.

Left-leaning outlets focused on his return and background: CBS News relayed Trump's announcement that Hubbard had landed, while The New York Times profiled him and cited the State Department's description of the charges. Right-leaning coverage, from Just the News, centered on the attorney's account of the detention and the secrecy of the Russian proceedings. Alternative / independent outlets had not reported the story at the time of writing, while left-leaning and right-leaning outlets had. Both sides note he was held for over four years; the difference is emphasis on his return and the official view versus his legal ordeal.