Cellmates Describe Hubbard Abuse

Stephen Hubbard spent more than four years in Russian custody before his release this month. Two Ukrainians who were imprisoned with him say they witnessed Russian guards beat, shock, and humiliate the 74-year-old American during that time. Dmytro Khyliuk, a journalist, first met Hubbard in September 2022 at Novozybkov prison in Bryansk. He said officers singled out Hubbard from the start, using obscene language and threats during inspections. "They came during inspections and were asking: in which cell is the American? And then they used obscene words. They threatened him, they mocked him from the first days," Khyliuk said.

Ihor Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier, also recalls Hubbard's arrival. Shyshko said Hubbard was forced to learn Russian, sing the national anthem, and recite prison rules he could not read. Shyshko witnessed guards striking Hubbard on his legs, back, and arms. He also said guards shocked Hubbard with a stun gun. Shyshko alleged that Hubbard was denied food and medical care, and was subjected to sexual humiliation for the amusement of staff.

Hubbard was captured in April 2022 in Izyum, 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 10 months. The two Ukrainians were held in the same facility while Hubbard awaited trial. Their accounts align with statements made by Hubbard's family regarding torture in prison.

Khyliuk said Hubbard's health declined while they were in neighboring cells at Novozybkov. Khyliuk heard Hubbard complain frequently, and guards summoned the American to the prison doctor with increasing regularity. Khyliuk described broken windows and bitter cold. He said detainees used their time outside their cells to huddle in bathrooms for warmth. He claimed conditions at Novozybkov were worse than at subsequent facilities.

The men met Hubbard again at Pakino prison. Shyshko said Hubbard's condition worsened there. "There was not a single spot on his knees or on his feet without rot," Shyshko said. He recalled bandaging Hubbard at the medical center because the doctor refused to treat him. Shyshko described Hubbard as weak and barely able to move. The prisoners described a daily diet of porridge, bread, and potatoes. They also described a routine of beatings, forced running, and stress positions. Shyshko said a handler set a dog on prisoners to bite them.

Khyliuk claimed that soon after the transfer to Pakino, prison staff hid Hubbard from visiting International Red Cross staff. "They saw only what was shown to them and they were happy with that," Khyliuk said. The International Committee of the Red Cross stated that it asks to see every individual when granted access and continues talks with conflict parties on the issue.

Khyliuk said Hubbard vanished from the prison in 2024. He assumed the American had been released. Khyliuk returned to Ukraine in August 2025 via a prisoner exchange. He compared the treatment in Russian captivity to the Stalin era. "Russian captivity is a torture machine," he said.

The Kremlin released Hubbard after four and a half years on the day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg. Witkoff described Putin as a "humanitarian." US President Donald Trump said he asked Putin to free Hubbard in a phone call the previous week. Khyliuk said he was glad to see Hubbard freed, noting it was not his war. He called the timing "shameful PR of the US president, who is losing votes in elections to Congress." Shyshko said he hopes the perpetrators will one day face justice. "Evil must be punished, and so it will be," he said.