American pensioner sentenced to almost seven years in Russian prison for ‘mercenary activity’ in Ukraine

A Moscow court has sentenced an American pensioner to six years and 10 months in a penal colony for “mercenary activity”, independent news outlet Mediazona reported on Monday.

The prosecutor had requested a seven-year sentence for 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard in a trial that was held behind closed doors.

According to the investigation, Hubbard, from the small city of Big Rapids, Michigan, had lived in Ukraine since 2014 and joined the territorial forces defending the city of Izyum in the eastern Kharkiv region after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Izyum was taken by Russian forces early in the war but Ukrainian forces successfully liberated the town during their counteroffensive in September 2022.

Hubbard is said to have received a monthly salary of about $1,000 (€910). He was captured by Russian forces after approximately two months of fighting, according to the prosecution. He pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

Hubbard’s sister, Patricia Fox, told Reuters that he had worked for decades as an English teacher in countries including Japan, Cyprus and Ukraine. She cast doubt on his reported confession, telling Reuters he held pro-Russian views and was unlikely to have taken up arms at his age.

Hubbard is one of at least 10 Americans currently being held in Russian prisons, according to Reuters.