{
  "id": 15972748,
  "title": "Sister of American Stephen Hubbard says he’s in disbelief following release by Russia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/sister-of-american-stephen-hubbard-says-hes-in-disbelief-following-15972748",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-21T21:53:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/10/21/sister-of-american-stephen-hubbard-says-hes-in-disbelief-following-release-by-russia/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The younger sister of Stephen Hubbard, an American freed from a Russian prison, revealed that her brother was in disbelief upon his release on Wednesday. Patricia Hubbard Fox told The Associated Press that her brother was laughing and said, \"I can't believe this is happening.\" She noted that he had been in prison for over four years and had suffered from beatings and starvation. Hubbard Fox confirmed that her brother was healthy when he was \"kidnapped\" in 2022 and accused of fighting with Ukrainian forces. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison during closed court proceedings in 2024, an allegation the U.S. government has labeled as wrongful detention. Hubbard, a U.S. Air Force veteran, had moved to Ukraine to be with a woman he had met and was living there when Russia invaded. His sister, who has been sleeping on her couch for four years in solidarity with her brother, said her brother would likely return to Colorado to live with her.",
  "summary": "DENVER (AP) — The younger sister of Stephen Hubbard, the American freed Wednesday after spending more than four years in a Russian prison, said she spoke with her brother by phone and described him as being in disbelief.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "DW English (Top Stories)",
        "title": "Russia frees jailed American Stephen Hubbard during Witkoff talks",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/russia-frees-jailed-american-stephen-hubbard-during-witkoff-talks",
        "published": "2026-10-21T09:42:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Live Mint",
        "title": "Who is Stephen Hubbard? Why did Putin free the 74-year-old US teacher jailed as a Ukraine war ‘mercenary’? Explained",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/who-is-stephen-hubbard-why-did-putin-free-the-74-year-old-us-teacher",
        "published": "2026-10-21T18:06:38.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian Australia",
        "title": "MPs’ protections under scrutiny; Putin releases jailed US citizen; and National Geographic’s NZ pick",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/mps-protections-under-scrutiny-putin-releases-jailed-us-citizen-and",
        "published": "2026-10-21T19:53:01.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Sister of American Stephen Hubbard says he’s in disbelief following release by Russia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/sister-of-american-stephen-hubbard-says-hes-in-disbelief-following",
        "published": "2026-10-21T21:53:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "CBS News",
        "title": "Son of detained American Stephen Hubbard reacts to Russia releasing him after 4 years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/son-of-detained-american-stephen-hubbard-reacts-to-russia-releasing",
        "published": "2026-10-21T23:01:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Hindustan Times - World News",
        "title": "Stephen Hubbard, US schoolteacher captured by Russia in 2022, freed by Putin in goodwill gesture",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/stephen-hubbard-us-schoolteacher-captured-by-russia-in-2022-freed-by",
        "published": "2026-10-22T00:11:18.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}