SAN ANTONIO – Stephen Hubbard, an American man who spent over four years in a Russian prison, was recently released, much to the relief of his family. His younger sister, Patricia Hubbard Fox, shared that Stephen was unaware of his release until he boarded a plane and saw the American flag.
“He didn’t know why he was being taken from the prison to Moscow, and he may have thought he was going to his death,” she explained during an interview in San Antonio, where he was taken for medical evaluation.
Patricia noted that Stephen appeared to be in good spirits, often laughing in relief, saying, “Oh my God, you know, I’m free. This is really happening.”
Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Michigan, was accused by Russia of fighting alongside Ukrainian forces after the invasion began in 2022. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison in 2024 during a closed court proceeding.
The U.S. government, under President Biden, recognized Hubbard as wrongfully detained. His legal team has disputed the Russian allegations, maintaining that he was not involved in any military activities.
Patricia described the harsh conditions her brother faced while imprisoned, mentioning that he was starved and beaten. Some fellow inmates from Ukraine had to carry him due to his injuries. “The only English they knew was ‘Die, American. Die,’” she recalled about the Russian guards. “And that just made him mad enough to not die, you know? ‘I’ll show them.’ I’m so proud of him.”
Hubbard is a U.S. Air Force veteran who taught English overseas. He moved to Cyprus in 2012 to be with his son, an Orthodox Christian priest, and later relocated to Ukraine to be with a woman he had met. He was living there when Russia invaded.
Patricia didn’t know Stephen’s whereabouts until someone in Ukraine found her after seeing his name on a prison roster. She expressed her gratitude, saying, “God doesn’t answer prayers immediately sometimes, but he always answers my prayer. And I said, ‘Jesus, get him home.’”
Looking ahead, Patricia mentioned that Stephen would likely come to live with her in Colorado, and they were both excited about a family reunion.
___
Peipert reported from Denver.
