US citizen on trial in Russia for his participation in the war on the side of Ukraine

Illustrative photo from open sources

Russian prosecutors have demanded that US citizen Stephen Hubbard, accused of fighting as a mercenary against Russia, be sentenced to seven years in prison. This was reported on Saturday, October 5, by Russian news agencies, the Associated Press reports.

Prosecutors also asked the court to take into account Hubbard's age, 72, saying he had admitted his guilt but “sent him to a maximum security prison colony.”

In Russia, mercenarism is a criminal offense punishable by seven to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors accuse Hubbard of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, which allegedly paid him at least $1,000.

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He reportedly received training, a personal firearm, and fought for the Ukrainian military as a mercenary until April 2022, when he was detained by Russian forces.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow told The Associated Press it was “aware of the situation regarding the arrest of an American citizen” but said it could not comment further “due to privacy restrictions.”

Russian courts convict in more than 99% of cases. Prosecutors can appeal sentences they consider too lenient.

Russia has seen an increase in the arrest of American citizens in recent years, raising concerns in the U.S. that Russia may be detaining U.S. citizens to use them as “bargaining chips” to return Russians convicted of crimes in the US and Europe.

In August, the US and Russia completed the largest prisoner swap in post-Soviet history after months of negotiations and concessions from European countries. Several US citizens remain behind bars in Russia after the swap.

Prepared by: Sergey Daga