Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, was released from Russian custody on Wednesday, October 21, after spending more than four years behind bars. He is now making his way back to the United States.
His younger sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, spoke publicly for the first time since his release, describing a phone call in which her brother expressed disbelief at his freedom. “That was awesome. He was just laughing. He said, ‘I can’t believe this is happening.’ He’s out of Russia territory. He is free, praise God. He really thought he was going to die in prison,” she said.
Sister's Verdict on Putin
Patricia also delivered a seven-word verdict on Russian President Vladimir Putin now that her brother is safe: “Putin is as evil as they come.”
Hubbard was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison during closed court proceedings after being accused of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military. He has always denied involvement in any military activity, and the US government under the Biden administration designated him as wrongfully detained.
Release and Diplomatic Efforts
President Donald Trump said he had asked Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call earlier this month. US envoy Steve Witkoff also held talks with Putin about the war in Ukraine. Trump described Hubbard as “the happiest man around” and called him a “very high-quality, innocent man.”
Patricia said her brother suffered beatings and starvation while held captive. She stated he was in perfect health when he was “kidnapped” in 2022 and accused of fighting alongside Ukrainian forces. She added that he now suffers from an enlarged heart and likely has post-traumatic stress disorder.
Background and Family Reunion
Hubbard, a US Air Force veteran, taught English overseas and retired to Cyprus in 2012, where one of his sons is an Orthodox Christian priest. He later moved to Ukraine to be with a woman he had met, his lawyers said, and remained in the country after the relationship ended, living there at the time of Russia's invasion.
Patricia disputed the mercenary claim, saying her brother was used as “bait” in Putin's war with Ukraine. She said Hubbard would likely come live with her in Colorado, and both were looking forward to a family reunion and sleeping somewhere comfortable. Patricia said she has slept on her couch for four years in solidarity with her brother “because I figured he didn’t have a bed. Why should I have a bed?”
