Trump Freed American Teacher After 4-Year Russian Detention
President Trump secured the release of an American teacher detained in Russia for over four years, marking a major diplomatic win.
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President Donald Trump successfully secured the release of Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American schoolteacher, after over four years of detention in Russia. Hubbard, who was held on mercenary charges, walked out of Russian custody on Wednesday and was waiting at a St. Petersburg airport for his flight back to the United States, according to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
A Diplomatic Achievement
Hubbard, the last American officially deemed wrongfully detained by Russia, is the third American prisoner released during Trump’s second term. He joins former Marine Robert Gilman, released in August 2024, and teacher Marc Fogel, released last year. Trump stated that he personally persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard during a recent phone call, emphasizing that no prisoner swap was involved.
Trump criticized former President Joe Biden, stating that Hubbard was taken into custody during Biden’s administration and that the previous administration’s efforts to negotiate with Russia were ineffective. He called the situation “unprecedented for Russia,” highlighting the lack of demands for a prisoner exchange.
A Long and Controversial Detention
Hubbard’s ordeal began in April 2022, shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine. He was seized by Russian troops from his home in Izyum, a city captured by Russian forces in the early stages of the war. He was held for about six months before Ukrainian forces reclaimed the area in September 2022.
Russian authorities accused Hubbard of joining a Ukrainian defense unit, claiming he received training, weapons, and ammunition and was promised $1,000 a month. However, his family and legal team maintained that the charges were false. His sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, described him as a pacifist who had never owned a gun and was pro-Russian in his views.
Hubbard’s legal team argued that he was not involved in any combat activities and was simply taken from his home by Russian soldiers. Disturbing videos surfaced online, including one showing him being interrogated about his views on Putin and the war, and another appearing to show him being hit with a sandal.
A New Chapter
Hubbard, who served in the Air Force and National Guard, will be flown to Texas for medical treatment at a military hospital. He will be cared for due to his poor health. His family and legal team are relieved that he is finally free after a long and controversial detention.
Source: Daily Wire
