American Stephen Hubbard freed from Russian prison after more than four years, returns to US

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, was freed from a Russian prison Wednesday after more than four years and returned to the United States that night, President Donald Trump said. His release was announced during a meeting between U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Russia accused Hubbard of fighting for Ukraine, and he was sentenced in 2024 in closed proceedings to nearly seven years. His legal team denied any military involvement, and the U.S. had deemed him wrongfully detained. Trump said Putin agreed to his request, made in a phone call earlier this month, with no swap, though he said waiving new sanctions on Russia played a role. Trump said Hubbard would visit the White House within a day or so.

Alternative source AP leads with his sister's account that he learned of his release only when he saw the U.S. flag on the plane. The right-leaning New York Post runs the same account and adds her claims of starvation and beatings. Left-leaning CBS leads with his son's interview and Trump's sanctions comments.