Summary
Stephen Hubbard, a 72-year-old American, has been sentenced to nearly seven years in a Russian prison after being convicted of fighting as a mercenary for Ukraine. This case marks him as the first known American to be charged and convicted on such grounds in the ongoing conflict.
Hubbard was captured by Russian forces shortly after signing a contract with a Ukrainian military unit in February 2022, at the onset of the war. Prosecutors in Russia claimed he received training and was equipped with weapons while serving alongside Ukrainian forces. Following a closed trial in Moscow, he was sentenced to six years and ten months, with the court considering his age and admission of guilt in their decision. This sentencing highlights a broader trend of increasing arrests of Americans in Russia, raising concerns that these actions may be politically motivated, potentially using U.S. nationals as leverage in diplomatic negotiations.
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