After Russian prison release, 74-year-old Stephen Hubbard lands back in U.S. for medical evaluation
Return to the United States
Hubbard landed in the United States late Wednesday, President Trump said. The 74-year-old arrived in San Antonio, where he is expected to receive a medical evaluation, a customary step for prisoners released from overseas.
Before Hubbard departed from St. Petersburg, he spoke briefly by phone with his father. His son, friar Joseph Coleman, said Hubbard sounded better than he had in their previous conversation in May 2025.
Capture and imprisonment
Hubbard, a retired schoolteacher from Michigan, was captured in Ukraine shortly after Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022. He was accused of manning a checkpoint for mercenaries and later received a sentence of almost seven years in a penal colony.
Strikes continue in Ukraine
Despite expressions of goodwill following the release, Russia carried out major strikes on Ukraine overnight. It launched 21 missiles at Kyiv and attacked nearly half of Ukraine’s regions.
Key points
- Hubbard returned to the United States late Wednesday and landed in San Antonio.
- Trump offered two explanations linking Hubbard’s release to his request and the halt to new sanctions.
- Russia launched 21 missiles at Kyiv and struck nearly half of Ukraine’s regions overnight.