A Moscow court has sentenced 72-year-old American citizen Stephen Hubbard to six years and 10 months in prison for allegedly serving as a mercenary for Ukraine, Russian state media TASS reported. Originally from Michigan, Hubbard was accused of fighting in Ukraine’s key city of Izyum after signing a contract worth about $1,000 per month. He was detained by Russian forces in April 2022.
Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charges in September, reportedly agreeing with the accusations during his court hearing, which was held behind closed doors. Russian prosecutors claimed he fought against Russian troops for monetary compensation, though his family disputes this.
Hubbard’s sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, has expressed disbelief at the charges, stating that her brother had always held pro-Russian views and was never involved in armed conflict. She emphasized that he was an English teacher, not a fighter, and cast doubt on the validity of his confession, calling it coerced.
This sentencing follows another case earlier on Monday, where former US Marine Robert Gilman was sentenced to over seven years in a Russian penal colony for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers. Both cases highlight the growing tension between Russia and the US amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
