The family of a 73-year-old American held in a Russian prison, Stephen Hubbard, are hoping he will be included in a potential prisoner swap, his New York-based lawyer told AFP Tuesday.
Hubbard, a retired English teacher, was taken captive by Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Izium at the start of its 2022 offensive and sentenced to almost seven years in prison, accused of acting as a “mercenary” for Kyiv. He denies the charges.
JOIN US ON TELEGRAM
Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.
A Ukrainian who was held with Hubbard told AFP last year that the American was tortured in custody.
His lawyer Martin De Luca told AFP that Hubbard’s family were able to hold a brief call with him and locate him, in the Russian region of Mordovia, known for its harsh prisons.
“The family got one short phone call after years of nothing. It was devastating, but also incredibly important to give them hope,” De Luca said.
“They’re cautiously optimistic now. Being able to hear his voice, even briefly, gave them something to hold onto for the first time in years,” he added.
He said it was “not a simple task to identify his location”, saying that “there were clearly steps taken to obscure where he was being held.”
Hubbard denies joining Ukrainian forces.
His family and lawyers have said Hubbard was living in the Ukrainian city of Izium, which fell to Russian forces for several months in early 2022.
Iran Warns Israel: Any Attack on Beirut Will Trigger Resumption of War
Russia and the United States have warmed ties since President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January and have held two prisoner exchanges this year.
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump spoke about another exchange during a call in May, according to the Kremlin. Trump has pressured Russia over peace talks with Ukraine.
“At a time when many in the West are questioning whether Russia is serious about ending the war, we think that releasing Mr. Hubbard would send a strong and credible signal that Moscow is serious about this process,” De Luca said.
He believed his client was “treated differently” to other US citizens held by Russia.
Russia only publicly announced it held Hubbard in September 2024.
“He was taken from his home, where he had been living for years. He’s still bewildered by what happened,” Da Luca said.
The prison ordeal had taken a “serious toll” on Hubbard, the lawyer said, especially as he does not speak Russian and is “deeply affected by the isolation.”
You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter
