Retired Michigan Teacher Freed from Russian Prison Says He Believed It Only at the Prison Gate
A retired Michigan teacher recently released from a Russian prison said he only believed he would be freed when he was given new clothes and led to the prison exit. Stephen Hubbard, 74, made his first public remarks since his release during a visit to the White House on Friday, where he met President Donald Trump.
Hubbard said he had heard many times previously that he would be released, but never really trusted what he was told. He described his philosophy as seeing is believing, and said actions speak louder than words.
In his words, only when they started giving him new clothes and leading him to the exit of the prison did he go out, see the car and find himself accompanied by a couple of Russians — and only then, on the drive from Moscow to St Petersburg, did he finally believe he was really going somewhere.
Hubbard had been behind bars for more than four years on charges that he fought as a mercenary in Ukraine, which Russia invaded in February 2022. His legal team has denied the Russian accusations and said he was not involved in any military activity.
His release took effect on 21 October. On Friday, Trump hosted Hubbard in the Oval Office. The White House allowed a limited pool of journalists into the meeting, primarily news photographers and a television crew.
Trump has previously said he had asked Russian leader Vladimir Putin to free Hubbard, and that the US did not have to release anyone in return. Of Hubbard, Trump said he was somebody he wanted to get back.
Many in the international community perceived Hubbard's release as Russia's latest maneuver to bring Trump closer to Putin's position on the war in Ukraine.
The release also offered Trump a diplomatic victory ahead of the 3 November midterm elections, when his Republican party is expected to lose seats in Congress.
