A 74-year-old retired American school teacher held in Russia since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine is finally heading home.
Stephen Hubbard was released from a Russian prison Wednesday after being detained since 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began. He was accused of being a mercenary for Ukraine under what his family and advocates called dubious charges.
Hubbard, the only American in Russia labeled by the U.S. as "wrongfully detained," suffered brutal conditions and deteriorating health.
During a meeting in St. Petersburg, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff praised Russia's Vladimir Putin — who is charged by the International Criminal Court with war crimes in Ukraine — for the release.
"I want to thank you very much. The President sends his thanks, our whole nation sends their thanks. Because of you, Stephen Hubbard is going home to his family," Witkoff said.
"You talk so much about President Trump being a humanitarian. You are a humanitarian also sir," Witkoff added.
On Truth Social, President Donald Trump called the release an "unprecedented situation for Russia," as there was no prisoner swap involved. The Trump administration, however, did lift sanctions on Russian diesel exports.
Trump also said on Truth Social that Hubbard's release "should have taken place a long ago through the Biden administration." While advocates of detained Americans agree, they say the Biden administration previously designating Hubbard as wrongfully detained proves how critical this label is to getting imprisoned Americans home sooner than later.
While Hubbard's return is cause for celebration, at least five Americans still remain detained by Russia: Andre Khachatoorian, David Barnes, Chuck Zimmerman, Aleksandr Antonov, and Olga Jezler.
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"My wife, Olga, has been in Russia since June of 2022. So it's been 1,577 days today. That's just about four and a half years now," Harold Jezler, Olga’s husband, told Scripps News.
"Even though the war had just begun, I pleaded with her not to go, but it's hard to argue with someone who wants to go care for their sister during such a difficult time. Also, we never thought something like this would happen," Harold Jezler said.
Olga Jezler, 36, had traveled to Russia to care for her sister, who was undergoing breast cancer treatment. She was arrested days after voluntarily declaring her CBD supplements, according to Americans Left Behind, and eventually charged with drug trafficking. She is sentenced to 10 years in a Russian prison.
"The last four and a half years of my life have been dedicated to bringing my wife home and fighting not only the Russian government, the U.S. Government, and just making this happen. It's been extremely difficult, but she's a real source of inspiration to me," Jezler said.
He said his wife is battling a deteriorating medical situation and hopes the State Department designates the five remaining Americans as wrongfully detained.
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"People that are designated are the ones that come home,” he said. "I feel that our country has been very gracious towards Russia. There's been a lot of concessions made regarding the war, also now these diesel deal,” he said. “I feel it would be very appropriate for us to request to have our hostages returned.”