The Kremlin Has Released The American Hubbard, Whom Russia Had Abducted In Izyum And Held In Prison

• 21.10.2026, 13:02

During a meeting with Whitcoff.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin ordered the release of U.S. citizen Steven Hubbard from captivity at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump.

This was reported by RBC-Ukraine citing RIA Novosti.

According to Russian propaganda media, U.S. President’s Special Representative Steve Whitcoff thanked the Kremlin leader for this decision.

For his part, Putin stated that Hubbard is currently at Pulkovo Airport, meaning he should be heading home shortly.

It is worth noting that earlier Donald Trump officially announced that he had asked the Russian dictator to release the American who was being held captive.

On October 20, the White House announced that developments in this case could occur in the near future. The statement was made in the Oval Office as Whitcoff was preparing for a trip to Moscow to continue negotiations on Ukraine following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Oslo.

When asked about the Hubbard case, Trump replied that he had discussed with Putin the fate of the American, whom the U.S. State Department has recognized as having been unlawfully detained.

“Just stay with me... And just keep this issue in mind for a few more days, okay? Because I’m doing what no one else can do. Watch what’s happening. We’re focused on Hubbard,” Trump said on October 20.

What is known about Stephen Hubbard

Prior to his release, the 74-year-old U.S. citizen had served nearly seven years in a Russian penal colony on charges of mercenary activity.

In 2014, Stephen Hubbard moved to Ukraine and settled with his common-law wife in Izyum, Kharkiv Oblast.

On April 2, 2022, he was taken prisoner. According to the American, Russian military personnel abducted him from his own home.

The Moscow City Court found Hubbard “guilty” of participating in hostilities on the side of the Ukrainian Armed Forces as a mercenary and sentenced him to six years and ten months in prison.

The U.S. State Department has repeatedly called on Moscow to release the American, stating that he is being held illegally. At the same time, Hubbard’s relatives described him as a pacifist and claimed that he would never have taken up arms.

As a reminder, on October 21, Whitcoff arrived in St. Petersburg to continue peace talks with Russian authorities regarding Ukraine.

On the same day, he met with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.