What did former prisoners reveal about Stephen Hubbard's detention in Russia?

Former Ukrainian prisoners held alongside Stephen Hubbard have shared detailed accounts of the severe abuse, beatings, and humiliation the elderly American citizen suffered during his years in Russian custody. BBC News reported that Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired English teacher living in Ukraine, endured years of brutal treatment by guards who marked him out specifically because of his nationality.

How was Stephen Hubbard treated by Russian guards?

According to former cellmates Dmytro Khyliuk and Ihor Shyshko, Hubbard faced hostility and mockery from the very beginning of his detention in September 2022. Guards routinely used obscene words, threatened him, and compelled him to pick up the Russian tongue, sing the national anthem, and recite prison rules he could not read. Shyshko stated that Hubbard was treated more harshly than other inmates explicitly because he was an American, with guards labeling him a mercenary and encouraging physical violence. Witnesses reported that guards beat him on his legs, back, and arms, used a stun gun on him, and exposed him to severe degradation and sexual torment for the amusement of the staff. Detainees were also subjected to sparse rations consisting mainly of basic bread, potatoes, and watery porridge, alongside a punishing daily routine of forced running, holding stress positions, and attacks by handler dogs that left wounds prone to severe festering infections.

What were the prison conditions like in Novozybkov and Pakino?

Hubbard was initially held at the Novozybkov prison in Bryansk near the Ukrainian border before being transferred to a facility in Pakino. Khyliuk described the Novozybkov facility as having broken windows and biting cold conditions during the winter months, requiring prisoners to gather tightly within restroom areas seeking warmth during recreation periods outside their cells. As Hubbard's health declined over the months, Khyliuk noted he heard the American's complaints and observed him being called more frequently to see the prison doctor. When both men encountered Hubbard again at the Pakino prison, Shyshko recalled that his physical condition had deteriorated drastically. Shyshko reported that Hubbard's feet and knees were severely affected by rot and scabies, leaving him so weak and immobile that Shyshko had to bandage him at the medical center because the doctor refused to assist.

Did international monitors check on Stephen Hubbard?

Khyliuk claimed that prison officials actively attempted to conceal Hubbard's true condition from outside oversight. Shortly after their transfer to Pakino, Khyliuk stated that Hubbard was hidden away to keep delegations from an international humanitarian oversight mission from witnessing his failing health. Khyliuk expressed frustration with the international humanitarian organization, arguing that they only observed what was intentionally shown to them. In response, representatives for the global protection agency stated that whenever they receive entry permission, their mandate involves asking to check on every single detainee and evaluating their confinement conditions, while pursuing ongoing talks with all sides involved in the conflict.

How did Stephen Hubbard end up in Russian custody?

Hubbard's ordeal began back in April 2022 when Kremlin troops seized the eastern Ukrainian urban center of Izyum, where he resided alongside his local partner. He was subsequently accused of serving in Ukraine's armed forces and faced a trial in Moscow that resulted in a conviction and a prison term spanning nearly seven years. Shyshko and Khyshko spent time alongside Hubbard while he awaited trial in the prison system, with Shyshko and other inmates sharing parts of that journey. Hubbard ultimately spent four-and-a-half years in captivity before his release by the Kremlin. Khyliuk himself was eventually returned to Ukraine in a prisoner exchange in August 2025.

What were the political circumstances surrounding his release?

Hubbard's freedom came on the same day that US special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks with the Russian head of state in St Petersburg regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. During the gathering, the American representative lauded the Kremlin leader as a peacemaker despite the wide-ranging military offensive and daily strikes across Ukraine. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that he had personally appealed to Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call the previous week. While Khyliuk expressed gladness that Hubbard was finally heading home to the US after being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, he criticized the timing as shameful public relations for a US president seeking votes in Congress. Shyshko expressed a different sentiment, stating his hope that their torturers would eventually face justice because evil must be punished.

Syed Aqeel — verified this story.