{
  "id": 15909358,
  "title": "Who is Stephen Hubbard, the American Putin just freed?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/who-is-stephen-hubbard-the-american-putin-just-freed",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T15:12:57.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Meduza (English)",
    "slug": "meduza-english",
    "url": "https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/10/21/who-is-stephen-hubbard-the-american-putin-just-freed"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Vladimir Putin has released U.S. citizen Stephen Hubbard, who had been convicted by a Russian court on mercenary charges. Putin announced the move at the start of his meeting with U.S. presidential envoy Steve Witkoff in St. Petersburg, saying Hubbard is already at Pulkovo Airport. He will likely leave Russia with Witkoff, who is expected to fly to Oslo later that evening.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 6,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "American Stephen Hubbard released by Russia, Steve Witkoff says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/american-stephen-hubbard-released-by-russia-steve-witkoff-says",
        "published": "2026-10-21T09:58:58.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Putin says Russia has freed US citizen Stephen Hubbard",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/putin-says-russia-has-freed-us-citizen-stephen-hubbard-15878006",
        "published": "2026-10-21T11:10:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Jerusalem Post",
        "title": "Russia releases wrongfully detained US citizen Hubbard following Witkoff-Putin meeting",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/russia-releases-wrongfully-detained-us-citizen-hubbard-following",
        "published": "2026-10-21T11:28:51.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "PBS NewsHour",
        "title": "Russia frees American Stephen Hubbard after over 4 years in prison, during a visit from U.S. envoy Witkoff",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/russia-frees-american-stephen-hubbard-after-over-4-years-in-prison",
        "published": "2026-10-21T13:15:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "RTE News",
        "title": "Russia frees retired US schoolteacher Stephen Hubbard",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/russia-frees-retired-us-schoolteacher-stephen-hubbard",
        "published": "2026-10-21T13:34:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}