Former Ukrainian Detainees Detail Abuse of Freed US Citizen Stephen Hubbard in Russian Jails

Former Ukrainian prisoners who were detained alongside released American citizen Stephen Hubbard have detailed accounts of physical beatings, psychological harassment, and severe mistreatment inflicted on him by Russian guards during his four-and-a-half-year detention.

Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired English teacher, was captured in April 2022 by Russian forces in the eastern Ukrainian city of Izyum, where he had been residing with his Ukrainian partner. Russian authorities accused him of serving in the Ukrainian armed forces, leading to a conviction in a Moscow court that resulted in a sentence of six years and ten months.

Accounts provided by former fellow detainees corroborate statements previously made by Hubbard's family regarding his treatment while in Russian custody.

Witness Accounts of Detention in Novozybkov

Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist captured during the initial phase of Russia's invasion near Kyiv, first encountered Hubbard in September 2022 at Novozybkov prison in Russia's Bryansk region, near the Ukrainian border. Khyliuk stated that Russian guards targeted Hubbard from the outset due to his nationality, using obscene language, issuing threats, and mocking him during cell inspections.

Ihor Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier who was also detained with Hubbard prior to his trial, reported that guards subjected the American to harsher treatment specifically because of his nationality and unsubstantiated claims that he was a mercenary. According to Shyshko, guards forced Hubbard to learn Russian, sing the national anthem, and memorize prison regulations he was unable to read.

Shyshko stated that he witnessed guards striking Hubbard on his legs, back, and arms, and using a stun gun to electrocute him. He added that guards withheld adequate food and medical care, kept detainees in cold conditions, and subjected Hubbard to sexual humiliation and abuse.

Conditions and Transfer to Pakino Prison

Khyliuk noted that conditions at Novozybkov were severe, describing broken windows and intense winter cold that forced detainees to gather together in communal areas for warmth. Over time, Khyliuk observed a decline in Hubbard's physical health as he frequently raised medical complaints and was summoned to see the facility's doctor.

Both Khyliuk and Shyshko were later transferred with Hubbard to a second facility, Pakino prison. Shyshko reported that Hubbard's health deteriorated further at Pakino, stating that Hubbard suffered from severe skin rot on his knees and feet alongside widespread scabies. Shyshko stated that he assisted in bandaging Hubbard at the medical facility when the prison doctor declined to treat him.

The former prisoners described a routine at the facility involving physical beatings, stress positions, and limited meals consisting primarily of porridge, bread, and potatoes. Shyshko also described guards using dogs that were permitted to bite prisoners, leaving wounds that subsequently festered.

Concealment Claims and International Response

Khyliuk claimed that following their transfer to Pakino, prison staff hid Hubbard from a visiting delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to prevent inspectors from observing his physical condition.

In response to the assertions, the ICRC stated: "In any situation where the ICRC has been granted access, we request to see every individual and assess the conditions they are held in. We continue our discussions with parties to the conflict on this issue."

Khyliuk stated that Hubbard was moved from the facility in 2024. Khyliuk himself was returned to Ukraine in August 2025 as part of a prisoner exchange.

Diplomatic Context surrounding Release

Hubbard's release by the Kremlin coincided with a visit to St. Petersburg by US special envoy Steve Witkoff, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the conflict in Ukraine. Former US President Donald Trump stated that he had requested Hubbard's release during a telephone conversation with Putin the preceding week.

Reflecting on the release, Khyliuk expressed satisfaction that Hubbard had been freed and returned to the United States, stating that Hubbard had been trapped in circumstances unrelated to him. Shyshko expressed hope that those responsible for the mistreatment in the detention facilities would eventually face legal accountability.