American Stephen Hubbard Returns to U.S. After Release From Russian Prison
publishers 66articles 84first reported 20 Oct, 19:53 UTCdeveloping since 21 Oct · 10 editionstop 25 #10
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired schoolteacher who spent more than four years imprisoned in Russia, returned to the United States after his release Wednesday.
Hubbard landed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, where he was expected to receive a medical evaluation typically provided to Americans freed from detention overseas. President Donald Trump said Hubbard could visit the White House within days.
A Michigan native who had been living in Ukraine, Hubbard was captured shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Russian authorities accused him of fighting for Ukraine and manning a checkpoint for mercenaries, allegations his family disputed. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony, and the U.S. government designated him as wrongfully detained.
Hubbard’s release was announced during a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Trump said Putin agreed to free Hubbard at his request and that no prisoner exchange was required.
Before Hubbard left St. Petersburg, his son, friar Joseph Coleman, said his father sounded better than during their previous conversation in May 2025 and that he wanted to assess his health in person. Russia carried out missile strikes against Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine after the release.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 1 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 42 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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- Source articles
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- Given to the writer
- 8, 1 with the article's own text
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- 8
- This version written
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- Second model (editor)
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