A 72-year-old American citizen has been sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian prison on charges of mercenary activities in Ukraine.
According to Breitbart News, Stephen James Hubbard, a Michigan native, was convicted by a Russian court for allegedly assisting in the defense of Ukraine against the Russian invasion.
Russian prosecutors claim that Hubbard joined a defense unit in Izyum, eastern Ukraine, immediately after Russia's invasion in February 2022. They assert that he received military training, was armed by Ukrainian forces, and was compensated approximately $1,000 per month for his services.
Hubbard's sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, vehemently denies the accusations against her brother. She insists that Hubbard was not a mercenary but an English teacher who had been living in Ukraine since 2014. Fox argues that the charges are fabricated and that her brother was simply residing in the country on a modest pension.
Family members describe Hubbard as having distanced himself from relatives over the years while teaching English in various countries. They maintain that he did not speak Russian or Ukrainian and was living a quiet life in Ukraine before his arrest.
The case is further complicated by the fact that Ukraine does not accept volunteers over the age of 60 for military service, casting doubt on the plausibility of the Russian allegations.
The U.S. State Department has expressed frustration over Russia's refusal to grant consular access to Hubbard. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller highlighted the unusual circumstances of the case, noting Hubbard's age and the extended period of detention prior to his trial.
Miller stated:
The individual is 72 years old, has been held in prison for two years. He was arrested in Ukraine, not in Russia. Russia should grant consular access to him for the United States, as they should any time they detain an American citizen. And we are looking at the case very closely in considering our next steps.
The lack of consular access has hindered efforts to verify Hubbard's condition and the validity of the charges against him. This situation has raised concerns about due process and the treatment of foreign nationals in the Russian legal system.
Hubbard's case adds another layer of complexity to the already strained relations between the United States and Russia. The Biden administration's inability to secure consular access or influence the legal proceedings highlights the limited diplomatic leverage the U.S. currently has with Russia.
The conviction of an elderly American citizen on what his family claims are dubious charges could potentially escalate tensions between the two nations. It also underscores the risks faced by Americans abroad, particularly in regions experiencing geopolitical conflicts.
The circumstances surrounding Hubbard's arrest and detention remain unclear. He was reportedly captured when Russian forces took control of Izyum in April 2022, but the city was later reclaimed by Ukrainian forces in a counteroffensive. The reasons for the two-year delay between his capture and trial have not been explained by Russian authorities.
Hubbard's case serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. A 72-year-old American has been sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian prison for alleged mercenary activities. His family vehemently denies these claims, insisting he was an English teacher living peacefully in Ukraine. The U.S. government has been unable to secure consular access, raising concerns about due process and diplomatic relations between the two countries.
