A Russian prosecutor has requested a seven-year prison term for American citizen Stefan Hubbard, who is accused of acting as a mercenary for Ukraine. The proceedings, which are being conducted in Moscow City Court, center around the 72-year-old’s alleged involvement in armed conflict against Russian military forces. For further context, this request was reported by Interfax.
The trial was marked by its closed-door nature, a common occurrence for politically sensitive cases in Russia. Hubbard, a retired man who reportedly moved to Ukraine in 2014, is being held on charges under the Russian Criminal Code related to mercenary activities. He was accompanied by military police as he arrived at the court for his hearing on Thursday. The defense claims that Hubbard entered into a $1,000-per-month contract with the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Forces in February 2022. According to RIA Novosti, more details were disclosed during the court proceedings.
This case is not isolated, as Russia has prosecuted a significant number of foreign nationals, totalling 785 since 2014, for their involvement with the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Furthermore, this case bears similarity to that of Ksenia Karelina, a dual U.S.-Russian citizen who was sentenced to 12 years in August for donating to a Ukrainian organization, illustrating the stringent legal actions Russia is taking in response to foreign support for Ukraine. JURIST provides more comprehensive coverage of related legal developments.
Hubbard is set to remain in pre-trial detention until at least March 25, as Russian authorities continue to press charges against individuals they accuse of fighting in support of Ukraine. For a more detailed report on this ongoing legal development, you can visit the JURIST website.