Russian Custody: Ex-cellmates describe beatings of freed US veteran

Stephen Hubbard was held in Russian custody for four and a half years, a period marked by physical abuse and deteriorating health according to two former cellmates. The 74-year-old American was released on October 23, 2026, after a meeting between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.

Former prisoner Ihor Shyshko stated that guards beat Hubbard on the legs, back, and arms, and shocked him with a stun gun. Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier, recalled seeing Hubbard forced to sing the Russian national anthem and recite prison rules he could not read. He added that Hubbard was denied food and medical care, and kept in cold conditions while subjected to sexual humiliation for the amusement of staff.

Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist who was imprisoned with Hubbard starting in September 2022 at Novozybkov prison, described guards singling out the American from the first days. Khyliuk reported that Hubbard’s health declined over months, with guards summoning him to the prison doctor more frequently. Detainees in the facility used bathroom areas to huddle for warmth against broken windows and bitter cold.

Hubbard’s condition worsened after a transfer to the Pakino prison, where Shyshko noted that Hubbard had no spots on his knees or feet without rot. Shyshko recalled bandaging Hubbard at the medical center after the doctor refused to do so, describing the veteran as weak and barely able to move. The prisoners described a daily routine involving beatings, forced running, and stress positions, with a diet consisting of porridge, bread, and potatoes.

Khyliuk claimed that Hubbard was hidden from visiting International Red Cross staff to conceal his physical state. The ICRC stated that it asks to see every individual when granted access and continues talks with conflict parties on the issue. Khyliuk, who returned to Ukraine in August 2025, described Russian captivity as a torture machine and compared the treatment to the Stalin era.

Hubbard was captured in April 2022 in Izyum, Ukraine, and later sentenced in Moscow to six years and ten months for serving in Ukraine’s armed forces. President Donald Trump said he asked Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call the week before the release. Witkoff described Putin as a humanitarian, while Khyliuk called the timing shameful PR for the US president.

Shyshko said he hopes the perpetrators will face justice, stating that evil must be punished. Hubbard’s family had previously stated he was tortured in prison, a claim supported by the accounts of the two Ukrainians who were held with him while he awaited trial.