Ukrainian cellmates detail beatings and medical neglect of freed American Stephen Hubbard

Two Ukrainian men who shared prison cells with Stephen Hubbard say Russian guards subjected the 74-year-old American to repeated physical abuse and deliberate medical neglect during his four and a half year detention. Their accounts provide specific details of the treatment Hubbard endured, confirming claims made by his family regarding the severity of his suffering in Russian custody.

Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist, first encountered Hubbard in September 2022 at the Novozybkov prison in the Bryansk region. Khyliuk stated that guards identified Hubbard immediately upon his arrival, using insulting language and threats to target him from the very first days. Ihor Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier, corroborated these observations, noting that Hubbard's American nationality made him a primary focus for the prison officers.

Shyshko described being forced to watch as guards struck Hubbard on his legs, back, and arms. He also reported seeing Hubbard shocked with a stun gun. According to Shyshko, Hubbard was denied adequate food and medical treatment while being kept in freezing conditions. The soldier alleged that staff also subjected Hubbard to sexual humiliation to entertain themselves during his confinement.

Hubbard was captured in April 2022 in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, where he lived with his partner. Russian authorities charged him with serving in the Ukrainian armed forces. A trial in Moscow resulted in a conviction and a sentence of six years and ten months. Khyliuk observed a steady decline in Hubbard's health while they occupied neighboring cells, noting that guards increasingly summoned the American to see the prison doctor.

Khyliuk described the environment at Novozybkov as harsher than other facilities, with broken windows allowing bitter cold to enter. Detainees often huddled in bathrooms during their limited time outside cells to seek warmth. After Hubbard was transferred to the Pakino prison, Shyshko said his physical condition worsened dramatically. The former soldier noted that Hubbard’s knees and feet were covered in rot, and he had to bandage the American at the medical center after a doctor refused to do so.

At Pakino, Hubbard followed a strict routine involving beatings, forced running, and stress positions. Shyshko recalled an instance where a handler set a dog on prisoners, causing bites. Khyliuk claimed that shortly after the transfer, prison staff hid Hubbard from visiting International Red Cross personnel to conceal his poor condition. The Red Cross stated it continues to negotiate with conflict parties to ensure access to all individuals in custody.

The Kremlin released Hubbard on October 23, 2026, the same day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg. President Donald Trump said he had requested Hubbard's release during a phone call with Putin the previous week. Khyliuk, who was exchanged for freedom in August 2025, described the release as a political move by the US president, while Shyshko expressed hope that those responsible for the abuse would eventually face justice.