Stephen Hubbard: Former Cellmates Detail Abuse

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old American retired English teacher, spent four and a half years in Russian captivity where two former Ukrainian cellmates say he faced systematic physical and psychological abuse. Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist, and Ihor Shyshko, a captured soldier, stated that Russian guards singled out Hubbard for his nationality shortly after his arrival in 2022.

Hubbard was captured in April 2022 when Russian troops occupied Izyum, a city in eastern Ukraine where he lived with his partner. Russian authorities accused him of serving in the Ukrainian armed forces. A court in Moscow later convicted him and sentenced him to six years and 10 months in prison.

Khyliuk first encountered Hubbard in September 2022 at the Novozybkov prison in Bryansk, located near the Ukrainian border. He described how guards inspected cells specifically to locate the American citizen. According to Khyliuk, officials used obscene language, threatened Hubbard, and mocked him during the initial days of his detention. Shyshko, who was also present at Hubbard's arrival, said the officers forced Hubbard to learn Russian, sing the national anthem, and recite prison rules that he could not read.

Shyshko reported seeing guards strike Hubbard on his legs, back, and arms. He also stated that staff shocked Hubbard with a stun gun. The former prisoner claimed Hubbard was denied food and medical care while being kept in cold conditions. Shyshko further alleged that prison staff subjected Hubbard to sexual humiliation and abuse for their amusement.

The conditions at Novozybkov deteriorated Hubbard's health over the months he was held in neighboring cells. Khyliuk heard complaints from Hubbard and noted that guards summoned him to the prison doctor with increasing frequency. Khyliuk described broken windows and bitter cold, forcing detainees to huddle in bathrooms for warmth during time outside their cells. He characterized the environment as worse than at the subsequent facility where Hubbard was transferred.

The men later met Hubbard at the Pakino facility. Shyshko stated that Hubbard's condition had worsened significantly, noting that there were no unblemished spots on his knees or feet. Shyshko recalled bandaging Hubbard at the medical center after a doctor refused to do so. The detainees described a daily diet of porridge, bread, and potatoes alongside a routine of beatings, forced running, and stress positions. Shyshko also described an instance where a handler set a dog on prisoners to bite them.

Khyliuk claimed that Hubbard was hidden from visiting International Red Cross staff soon after the transfer to Pakino to conceal his physical state. Khyliuk stated that the Red Cross representatives only saw what was shown to them and were satisfied with the presentation. The International Committee of the Red Cross said it asks to see every individual when granted access and continues talks with conflict parties on the issue. Khyliuk assumed Hubbard had been released when he vanished from the prison in 2024.

Khyliuk returned to Ukraine in August 2025 during a prisoner exchange. He compared the treatment in Russian captivity to the Stalin era, calling it a torture machine. Shyshko expressed hope that the perpetrators would face justice, stating that evil must be punished.

The Kremlin released Hubbard on the day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg to discuss the war in Ukraine. Witkoff described Putin as a humanitarian. President Donald Trump said he had asked Putin to free Hubbard in a phone call the previous week. Khyliuk called the timing shameful PR for the US president, who is facing congressional elections. Shyshko said he hopes the perpetrators will one day face justice.

Hubbard's family previously stated that he was tortured in prison, a claim supported by the accounts of Khyliuk and Shyshko. The two Ukrainians were held with Hubbard while he awaited trial. Their testimonies provide specific details of the physical and medical neglect Hubbard endured during his long detention.