Justice · Moscow, Russia · October 21, 2026

Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard during envoy's visit

Reported by 6 outlets · first reported Oct 21, 5:43 AM ET

Putin ordered the release of Stephen Hubbard, an American held since 2022 on charges of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, as he met Witkoff. President Trump had requested the release and welcomed it on social media.

Why it matters

The release is a goodwill gesture between Moscow and Washington as they discuss terms for ending the war in Ukraine.

Background

Hubbard, a retired teacher and US military veteran, was detained in 2022 during fighting around Izium in eastern Ukraine. Prisoner releases have been a recurring part of US-Russia diplomacy.

The story so far

1. Oct 21Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard during envoy's visit
2. Oct 22Freed American Stephen Hubbard arrives in the United States

Follow the whole story →

Sources

• NPR ↗Oct 21, 6:20 AM ET
• Al Jazeera ↗Oct 21, 10:31 AM ET
• Fox News ↗Oct 21, 5:43 AM ET

This summary was written automatically from the reporting linked above; follow the sources for the full story. How One Turn works.

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