American Stephen Hubbard freed from Russian prison after more than four years
President Trump said Vladimir Putin agreed to release him at his request, with no prisoner swap.
Stephen Hubbard, a 74 year old retired schoolteacher, was released by Russia on Oct. 21, CBS News reported. Russian forces detained him in Ukraine soon after the full scale invasion in 2022; he was accused of manning a checkpoint for mercenaries and sentenced after a closed trial to almost seven years. The U.S. government had designated him wrongfully detained, and his family and lawyer dispute the charges.
The release was announced during a meeting between U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff and Putin. Trump said Putin agreed at his request with "no 'swap' necessary" and said a U.S. decision to waive new sanctions on Russia played a role, CBS News reported. Witkoff's description of Putin as a "humanitarian" drew criticism from lawmakers in both parties. NBC News reported that Hubbard arrived in Texas.
What is established
- Hubbard was held for more than four years.
- The U.S. had deemed him wrongfully detained.
- No prisoner exchange was involved, according to Trump.
What each side says
Credited the administration's diplomacy and said he did not believe the release was directly tied to other U.S. decisions that benefit Russia.
How it was covered
Left 2 reports
Coverage paired the release with criticism of Witkoff's praise for Putin.
Center No reports
Coverage led with the release and Hubbard's family.
Right No reports
No coverage from Right outlets in our feeds yet at the time of writing.