The sister of Stephen Hubbard, the American prisoner freed by Russia after more than four years behind bars, has spoken publicly for the first time about his release. Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher, was allowed out of prison on Wednesday, October 21, and is now on his way back to the United States.
After leaving Russian territory, Hubbard called his sister Patricia Hubbard Fox, who described their conversation. She said: “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.”
Background of the Case
Hubbard was arrested by Russian officials while he lived in Ukraine, as the Kremlin accused him of being a mercenary for Kyiv. He was accused of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military and was sentenced in 2024 to nearly seven years in prison during closed court proceedings. The US government under the Biden administration designated him as wrongfully detained, and his legal team has disputed the Russian allegation, saying he was not involved in any military activity.
Hubbard, a US Air Force veteran, taught English overseas and retired in 2012 to Cyprus, 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.
Reaction from Officials and Family
President Donald Trump said he had asked Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call earlier this month. The US envoy in St. Petersburg, Steve Witkoff, also held talks with Putin about the war in Ukraine. Trump described Hubbard as a “very high-quality, innocent man,” saying, “He is the happiest man around.”
Patricia disputed the claim that her brother was a mercenary, saying he was used as “bait” in Putin’s war with Ukraine. She added: “Putin is as evil as they come.” She said her brother suffered beatings and starvation while held captive, and that he was in perfect health when he was “kidnapped” in 2022. She noted he now suffers from an enlarged heart and likely has post-traumatic stress disorder.
Looking Ahead
Patricia said her brother would probably come live with her in Colorado, and they both were looking forward to a family reunion and sleeping somewhere comfortable. She 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?”
