{"id":2210880,"date":"2026-10-21T13:19:22","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T10:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2210880"},"modified":"2026-10-21T13:19:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T10:19:22","slug":"retired-american-teacher-stephen-hubbard-released-by-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2210880","title":{"rendered":"Retired American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Released By Russia"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/a5\/16by9\/2026\/10\/21\/a5d52ed8f04946a089a0d29bb7fa4ca7_xl.png&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"article article--permalink \">\n<header class=\"article__header\">\n<h1 class=\"article__header--headline-title\">Retired American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Released By Russia<\/h1>\n<h2 class=\"article__header--headline-fragments\"><span class=\"article__header--hf1 text-uppercase h3\">Stephen Hubbard<\/span><span class=\"article__header--hf2 text-uppercase h1\">Retired American Teacher Set Free by Russia<\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"social-media-container\" role=\"region\">\n<ul class=\"social social--sm\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\">\n<li class=\"social-item\"><\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tmz.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" class=\"google-preferred-btn js-track-link\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"google-preferred-btn__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/static.tmz.com\/tmz-web\/img\/article\/google-icon.svg\" alt=\"Google\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"google-preferred-btn__title\">Add TMZ on Google<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"byline\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/pages\/about\/\">TMZ Staff<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"date-wrapper\">\n                                                                        Published <time class=\"published-datetime\" datetime=\"2026-10-21T06:19:22-07:00\"><br \/>\n                              October 21, 2026<br \/>\n                            6:19 AM PDT<\/time><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article__blocks clearfix\">\n<section id=\"cb-ef0fdbea7973091f24ee1d2df5e5dd37\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-image-block canvas-image-block-permalink canvas-image-block--default  canvas-block-is-first \">\n<div class=\"image-block\"><a class=\"js-click-image js-track-link image-lightbox-preview\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:image-asset:image_png_20261021_a5d52ed8f04946a089a0d29bb7fa4ca7\" data-container-ref=\"tmz:article:762a4482-f8da-43e2-b9ee-81d2baa1ad39\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;image&quot;}\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"img-wrapper\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"eager\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/a5\/4by3\/2026\/10\/21\/a5d52ed8f04946a089a0d29bb7fa4ca7_md.png\" alt=\"102126 hubbard\" width=\"728\" height=\"546\" class=\"img-fluid image-block__img-fluid img-aspect-auto\"><\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-0d118affdc5a4e08a63d62e886e68b5c\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>A retired Michigan teacher who was locked up by Russia after being sentenced for fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine &#8212; allegations he denied &#8212; has just been released.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-134902b3231c5955b4451f892fbaf373\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The announcement that <strong>Stephen Hubbard<\/strong>, 74, was set free by Russia was made during a meeting between U.S. special envoy <strong>Steve Witkoff<\/strong>\u00a0and Russian President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/vladimir-putin\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Vladimir Putin<\/strong><\/a> in St. Petersburg &#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2026\/10\/21\/europe\/stephen-hubbard-prisoner-release-russia-trump-intl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>CNN<\/strong><\/a> reported.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-ce57aac80ebf93355c3fec9741bbc0c5\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-twitter-tweet-block canvas-twitter-tweet-block-permalink canvas-twitter-tweet-block--default  \">\n<div id=\"cb-ce57aac80ebf93355c3fec9741bbc0c5-808593157-target\" class=\"d-flex justify-content-center\">\n      <a class=\"twitter-timeline\" data-width=\"500\" data-height=\"750\" data-dnt=\"true\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/RT_com?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">Posts by RT_com<\/a><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n  <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-e87fc706f5a25edfa7d0826ed3b1ab57\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The release of Hubbard &#8212; who had been sentenced to nearly 7 years in prison in 2024 &#8212; came after President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/donald-trump\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Donald Trump<\/strong><\/a> said he made overtures to Putin on Hubbard&#8217;s behalf.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-f4ab37b96aa7a37c44dc6d5b5d78bf4b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2026\/10\/20\/us\/politics\/trump-russia-prisoner-stephen-hubbard.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>New York Times<\/strong><\/a>, the prez told reporters Tuesday &#8230; &#8220;I\u2019ve been talking to President Putin about Mr. Hubbard &#8230; I&#8217;ve been talking to him at length. I\u2019ve asked him to release him. Let\u2019s see what happens.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-f6c944693360eac6c84360a9710a1751\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>The State Department had previously listed Hubbard as being &#8220;wrongfully detained.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-46ab584e8d5b6a01064061c6fe02265e\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>In Wednesday&#8217;s meeting, Witkoff shared his thanks with Putin &#8212; who is wanted by the International Criminal Court as a war criminal &#8212; saying &#8230; &#8220;Because of you, he\u2019s going home to his family.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-fe0bce0c7d9f294cbb42a7f8f925eb42\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>Hubbard&#8217;s release comes amid growing tension between Trump and Ukrainian President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/people\/volodymyr-zelenskyy\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>Volodymyr Zelensky<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-317df323c17b7771c16cbb76ec0c7256\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-video-block canvas-video-block-permalink canvas-video-block--default  \">\n<div class=\"video-block\">\n<div class=\"ratio ratio-16x9\">\n<div id=\"video-player-6b514070-d528-4e64-a6b9-e200e8390807-630585187-image-holder\" class=\"ratio ratio-item video-block__image-holder\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/66\/16by9\/2026\/10\/10\/66d43a2030c64458b8d759db0391a4e7_md.png\" alt=\"101026_trump_goes_off_kal\" width=\"728\" height=\"410\" class=\"img-fluid\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer id=\"video-player-6b514070-d528-4e64-a6b9-e200e8390807-630585187-footer\" class=\"media-footer video-block__media-footer\"><span class=\"media-launch-text video-block__media-launch-text\">TRUMP GOES NUCLEAR<\/span><\/footer>\n<div class=\"video-block__media-info\">\n<div class=\"video-block__media-permalink\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/watch\/trump-says-ukraine-president-zelenskyy-needs-to-be-replaced-10-10-2026\/\">Video: Donald Trump Says Ukraine Should Replace President Volodymyr Zelenskyy<\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"media-credit video-block__media-credit\">CNN<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"cb-addb97b8392ba5e3add28b929c771d3b\" class=\"canvas-block canvas-block-permalink canvas-text-block canvas-text-block-permalink canvas-text-block--default  canvas-block-is-last \" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;permalink&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;text_block&quot;}\">\n<p>As you know, Trump controversially announced that he&#8217;d start buying Russian diesel again and lift sanctions. And after Zelensky fired back on X that this was a &#8220;gift&#8221; to Putin &#8230; Trump called on Ukraine to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/10\/donald-trump-blames-volodymyr-zelensky-for-high-diesel-prices\/\" rel=\"noreferrer\"><strong>replace him<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12\">\n<ul class=\"social social--permalink\">\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--facebook js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/21\/stephen-hubbard-released-by-russia\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:762a4482-f8da-43e2-b9ee-81d2baa1ad39\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;facebook-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:1}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><a class=\"btn social__btn social__btn--x js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/21\/stephen-hubbard-released-by-russia\/\" data-node-ref=\"tmz:article:762a4482-f8da-43e2-b9ee-81d2baa1ad39\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;twitter-footer&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:2}\"><br \/>\n                Share<span class=\"social__hide-sm\"> on X<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"social__item social__item--3items\"><\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"related-articles\">\n<header class=\"card-section-header related-articles__card-section-header\">\n<h3 class=\"card-section-title related-articles__card-section-title\">\n              Related articles<br \/>\n            <\/h3>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"row related-articles__row\">\n<div class=\"col related-articles__col\">\n<article class=\"related-articles__card\"><a class=\"related-articles__card-link js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/10\/donald-trump-blames-volodymyr-zelensky-for-high-diesel-prices\/\" 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         <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/president-trump\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:4}\"><br \/>\n                President Trump<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/politix\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:5}\"><br \/>\n                Politics<br \/>\n              <\/a><a class=\"tag-cloud__list-group-item js-track-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/categories\/news\/\" data-context=\"{&quot;section&quot;:&quot;main&quot;,&quot;name&quot;:&quot;tag-cloud&quot;,&quot;pos&quot;:6}\"><br \/>\n                News<br \/>\n              <\/a><\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.tmz.com\/2026\/10\/21\/stephen-hubbard-released-by-russia\/&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imagez.tmz.com\/image\/a5\/16by9\/2026\/10\/21\/a5d52ed8f04946a089a0d29bb7fa4ca7_xl.png&#8221;] Retired American Teacher Stephen Hubbard Released By Russia Stephen HubbardRetired American Teacher Set Free by Russia Add TMZ on Google By TMZ Staff Published October 21, 2026 6:19 AM PDT A retired Michigan teacher who was locked up by Russia after being sentenced for fighting as a mercenary in Ukraine &#8212; allegations [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,77],"class_list":["post-2210880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tmz-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2210880","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2210880"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2210880\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2210880"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2210880"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2210880"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}