A Moscow court has handed down a six-year and 10-month prison sentence to Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old American citizen from Big Rapids, Michigan. Hubbard was convicted on charges of participating in combat alongside a Ukrainian unit against Russian forces. This sentencing marks the first time an American has been imprisoned on “mercenary” charges since the onset of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in early 2022.
Footage of Hubbard, appearing frail, was broadcast by Russian state media as he listened to his sentencing from a glass enclosure. The trial itself was conducted behind closed doors. Hubbard is one of approximately a dozen Americans currently detained in Russia, facing various charges.
According to The Financial Times, Hubbard’s case surfaced last week when he confessed to serving in a mercenary unit. Prosecutors alleged that Hubbard, a resident of Ukraine since 2014, joined a territorial defense unit in Izyum, Ukraine, at the beginning of the conflict. He was reportedly promised a monthly salary of at least $1,000.
Despite the conviction, Hubbard’s defense team intends to appeal the verdict, as reported by state media Tass.
This sentencing comes at a time of heightened tension between Russia and the West. In August, Russia released Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan in a significant prisoner swap with the United States. Both men had been imprisoned in Russia on espionage charges, which they, along with the U.S. government, denied.
In September, Russia made changes to its nuclear policy, raising concerns about potential consequences for Western nations involved in attacks on Russia. President Vladimir Putin declared that Russia might deploy nuclear weapons if targeted by conventional missiles, considering any attack supported by nuclear power as a joint assault.
These recent developments underscore the ongoing geopolitical tensions surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. The sentencing of Stephen Hubbard serves as a stark reminder of the complex and often dangerous reality of the ongoing conflict and its impact on individuals caught in its crosshairs.
