An American English teacher Stephen Hubbard, captured by Russian forces in 2022, has been located in Russia’s Mordovia penal colony after months without family contact, with former fellow prisoners reporting he endured systematic abuse because of his nationality. 

Stephen James Hubbard, now 73 and a native of Michigan, is being held in the IK-12 penal colony in Mordovia, a southwestern Russian Oblast known for its extensive prison system, according to the New York Times.

He is the only American remaining in Russia who has been designated by the US State Department as “wrongfully detained,” indicating that the United States considers the charges against him to be fabricated.

Russian authorities captured Hubbard in April 2022 from the eastern Ukrainian city of Izium in Kharkiv Oblast, where he had been living since 2012 after meeting a Ukrainian woman named Inna. He had retired to Cyprus that year and moved to Ukraine to be with her, earning income by teaching English online to Japanese students. When the relationship ended Stephen continued living in Ukraine.

According to Russian court documents reviewed by the Times, authorities accused Hubbard of joining Ukraine’s territorial defense forces the day after Russia’s full-scale invasion began on 24 February 2022. The documents claim he signed up at a recruitment center in a kindergarten, seeking to earn at least $1,000 monthly, and was given the call signs “Samurai” and “Ninja” while manning a checkpoint on a bridge.

However, text messages between Hubbard and his son Hisashi Tanaka contradict this narrative. The communications show no evidence of military involvement. Instead, Hubbard sent daily updates describing civilian life during the invasion, including taking shelter in a church and continuing to teach English lessons when possible.

His final message, sent through a friend’s phone after Russians seized Izium, stated: “I am well, waiting for the war to end.”

Earlier, his sister Patricia Fox told Reuters that Hubbard was “so non-military” and “more of a pacifist.” She said he “never had a gun, owned a gun, done any of that” and was unlikely to take up arms at his age. Fox also noted that her brother held pro-Russian views, making the mercenary accusations even more implausible.

Russian authorities convicted Hubbard of being a mercenary in October and sentenced him to nearly seven years in prison. Following his conviction, his case file was removed from public view in an unusual move by the Russian judge.

Ukrainian prisoners of war who were held with Hubbard told the Times that he was repeatedly tortured because of his American citizenship. They reported that he was beaten, forced to stand all day, given inadequate food, and denied proper medical care. The released Ukrainian prisoners said they feared for his life.

Hubbard’s family lost contact with him after his conviction until recent weeks, when he was able to call one of his sons. His lawyer, Martin De Luca, said his team has spoken with Hubbard three times since April.

“He’s had a rough three and a half years,” De Luca said.

American officials have raised Hubbard’s imprisonment with Russian counterparts and demanded his immediate release. The United States Embassy in Moscow has not been granted access to Hubbard despite Russia’s obligations under international law.

In a 19 May phone call, President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed a potential prisoner exchange involving nine people from each side. Given Hubbard’s wrongful detention designation, he would likely be a top candidate in any such exchange.

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