Ukrainian detainees describe beatings of freed American Stephen Hubbard

Two Ukrainians who shared prison cells with Stephen Hubbard say they witnessed Russian guards beating and shocking the retired American teacher.

Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist, first met Hubbard in September 2022 at the Novozybkov prison in Bryansk, which lies near the Russian border with Ukraine. Khyliuk stated that officers singled out Hubbard immediately upon his arrival. He recalled that guards asked during inspections which cell held the American, then used profane language to threaten and mock him from the very first days.

Ihor Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier, corroborated the account that Hubbard’s nationality attracted the attention of prison staff. Shyshko said Hubbard was forced to learn the Russian language, sing the national anthem, and recite prison schedule rules he could not read. Shyshko observed guards striking Hubbard on his legs, back, and arms. He also reported seeing Hubbard shocked with a stun gun, denied food and medical care, and kept in cold conditions. Shyshko alleged that prison staff subjected Hubbard to sexual humiliation for their amusement.

Hubbard was captured in April 2022 when Russian soldiers occupied Izyum, a city in eastern Ukraine where he lived with his partner. Russian authorities accused him of serving in Ukraine’s armed forces. A Moscow court convicted him and sentenced him to six years and ten months in prison. The two Ukrainian men were detained with Hubbard while he awaited his trial. Their accounts align with statements made by Hubbard’s family regarding his treatment.

Khyliuk noted that Hubbard’s health deteriorated during the months they spent in neighboring cells. He heard Hubbard’s complaints and observed guards summoning him to the prison doctor with increasing frequency. Khyliuk described broken windows and bitter cold at Novozybkov, noting that detainees huddled in the bathroom for warmth during their limited time outside their cells. He stated that conditions at Novozybkov were worse than those at the subsequent prison.

The men reunited with Hubbard at the Pakino prison, where Shyshko said his condition worsened significantly. Shyshko described Hubbard’s knees and feet as covered in rot. He recalled bandaging Hubbard at the medical center after a doctor refused to do so. Shyshko said Hubbard was weak and barely able to move. The prisoners described a daily diet consisting of porridge, bread, and potatoes. Their routine included beatings, forced running, and stress positions. Shyshko also reported that 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 said, “They saw only what was shown to them and they were happy with that.” The International Committee of the Red Cross stated that it requests to see every individual where granted access and continues talks with conflict parties on the issue.

Khyliuk said Hubbard disappeared from the prison in 2024, leading Khyliuk to assume he had been released. Khyliuk returned to Ukraine in August 2025 during a prisoner exchange. He compared the treatment to the Stalin era and described Russian captivity as a torture machine.

The Kremlin released Hubbard, 74, after four and a half years of detention. His release occurred on the same day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg to discuss the war in Ukraine. Witkoff referred to Putin as a humanitarian. US President Donald Trump stated he had asked Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call the previous week. Khyliuk expressed gladness at Hubbard’s freedom, noting it was not his war, while calling the timing shameful public relations for a president losing votes in congressional elections. Shyshko said he hopes the perpetrators will face justice.

Shyshko stated, “Evil must be punished, and so it will be.”