Stephen James Hubbard, a 72-year-old American citizen, has pleaded guilty in a Moscow court to charges of working as a mercenary for Ukraine, as reported by Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency. Stephen James Hubbard was accused of joining Ukrainian forces in the city of Izyum during the early stages of the war, allegedly signing a contract with a territorial defense unit and receiving payments for his involvement. He reportedly admitted during the court hearing that he had been paid to fight against Russian forces, saying, “Yes, I agree with the indictment.”
Stephen James Hubbard, originally from Big Rapids, Michigan, had been living in Ukraine since 2014, according to his sister, Patricia Fox. Fox cast doubt on the validity of her brother’s confession, stating that he was too old to participate in combat and had never been involved with weapons or military activities. “He is so non-military,” she told Reuters. “He never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that…He’s more of a pacifist.” Fox added that Stephen James Hubbard had spent decades working as an English teacher abroad, including stints in Japan and Cyprus, and had been living with a Ukrainian woman before they separated.
Russian prosecutors allege that Stephen James Hubbard had been promised $1,000 per month for his service and was provided with training, weapons, and ammunition. He was captured by Russian forces on April 2, 2022, just a few weeks after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite his capture over a year ago, Stephen James Hubbard’s family had received little information about his situation until a video surfaced online in May 2022. The video, posted on YouTube by a small account, shows a bearded man resembling Stephen James Hubbard sitting in front of a camera and answering questions posed by an off-screen interviewer. In the video, the man expresses understanding of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reasons for sending troops into Ukraine and expresses hope for a quick resolution to the war. Fox identified the man as her brother, though it remains unclear when and where the video was filmed.
Stephen James Hubbard is currently being held in pre-trial detention until March 2025 and could face a sentence of seven to 15 years if convicted. The US Embassy in Moscow has acknowledged Stephen James Hubbard’s detention but has declined to provide further comment. He is one of at least 10 Americans currently imprisoned in Russia.
