A Moscow court has sentenced 72-year-old American Stephen Hubbard to six years and 10 months in prison for allegedly fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine, according to Russian state media. Hubbard, originally from Michigan, was accused of fighting for monetary compensation and pleaded guilty to the charges in September. Prosecutors claimed he fought in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, earning $1,000 per month before being detained in April 2022.
Defense and Family’s Reaction
Despite his guilty plea, Hubbard’s family disputes the claims. His sister, Trisha Hubbard Fox, described him as a pacifist and questioned his confession, asserting that he was an English teacher, not a fighter. “He’s more of a pacifist… He never had a gun,” she stated in an interview, calling the accusations false.
Related Case: Former Marine Sentenced
In a separate case, another American, Robert Gilman, a former marine, was sentenced to seven years and one month in a Russian penal colony for allegedly assaulting law enforcement. Gilman was already serving time for a prior conviction involving an attack on a police officer.
Diplomatic Concerns
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow is aware of the detention of both Americans but declined to provide further details due to privacy concerns, according to media reports.
(INCLUDES INPUTS FROM ONLINE SOURCES)
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