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American Stephen Hubbard sentenced to almost 7 years in Russian prison

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American Stephen Hubbard sentenced to almost 7 years in Russian prison

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A Russian court sentenced American citizen Stephen Hubbard to almost seven years in prison after it convicted him in a closed-door trial of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine.

Prosecutors accused Hubbard, 72, of receiving $1,000 per month in exchange for fighting with a territorial defense unit of Ukraine’s military in the eastern city of Izyum since the war began with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Feb. of 2022. Hubbard was captured less than two months later, according to Russian state media outlet RIA Novosti.

In a closed trial on Monday, Hubbard stood handcuffed inside a glass cell and removed a hat from his shaven head as a judge pronounced him guilty. He appeared emotionless, Reuters reported.

Hubbard pleaded guilty to the charges, the outlet reported. But his sister, Patricia Fox, and another relative told Reuters they doubted the truth of his confession.

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“He never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that,” Fox said, adding, “He’s more of a pacifist.” Both relatives said he also held pro-Russia political views.

Hubbard moved to Ukraine in 2014 and lived with a Ukrainian woman, according to Fox. He survived off of a pension of around $300 and never learned Ukrainian or Russian, she said.

A Michigan native, Hubbard spent decades living abroad as an English teacher, including in Japan and Cyprus, and grew isolated from his family, Fox said.

At least nine other Americans are currently behind bars in Russia. The same day as Hubbard’s trial, ex-U.S. marine Robert Gilman was also sentenced to more than seven years prison time for assaulting Russian officials while he was jailed on other assault charges. The hearing took place in Voronezh, around 150 miles north of the Russia-Ukraine border.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and Paul Whelan, another former U.S. Marine, were freed from Russian custody as part of an Aug. 1 prisoner swap of 24 people.

Contributing: Reuters

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