{"id":4990,"date":"2025-02-09T18:05:30","date_gmt":"2025-02-09T18:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/"},"modified":"2025-02-09T18:05:30","modified_gmt":"2025-02-09T18:05:30","slug":"an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/","title":{"rendered":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison."},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-0\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Stephen James Hubbard left America behind decades ago, first for Japan, then Cyprus and finally Ukraine. He didn\u2019t like the government \u2014 any government, really.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">He was a wanderer, growing up in a small town in Michigan and traveling the world before ending up alone in the eastern Ukrainian town of Izium when the Russians invaded on Feb. 24, 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Now Mr. Hubbard, a retired English teacher who turns 73 on Thursday, has become an unlikely pawn in an international war. The Russians arrested him shortly after invading and accused him of fighting for Ukraine. They moved him to at least five different Russian detention centers before putting him on trial on a charge of being a mercenary.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-1\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In October, a Moscow court convicted him and <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/10\/07\/world\/europe\/russia-american-sentence-ukraine-military.html\" title=\"\">sentenced<\/a> him to almost seven years in a penal colony.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-2\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">His case has remained mostly under the radar. But last month the State Department said Mr. Hubbard was \u201cwrongfully detained\u201d \u2014 <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2023\/04\/10\/world\/europe\/wrongfully-detained-us-citizens.html\" title=\"\">elevating<\/a> his case and indicating that the United States believes that the charges are fabricated.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A State Department spokesman said he never should have been taken captive or moved to a Russian prison.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard\u2019s sister and three former Ukrainian prisoners of war held with Mr. Hubbard dispute that he fought for Ukraine. The former prisoners say they believe he will die if he is not freed. They say he endured the same torture they did: repeatedly beaten, terrorized by dogs, forced to stand all day, every day, even stripped naked for more than a month.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThey\u2019d beat our ankles and force us into the splits, tearing ligaments in the process,\u201d said Ihor Shyshko, 41, who said he shared a cell with Mr. Hubbard. \u201cMany of the men were injured, some permanently. The conditions were beyond inhumane.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-3\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThe same thing happened to Stephen, but it was even worse for him because he\u2019s an American,\u201d added Mr. Shyshko, who was freed in a prisoner exchange last summer. \u201cThey stormed in, shouting in the hallway: \u2018We know you\u2019re an American. You\u2019re dead here!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The United States has accused Russia of inflating and inventing criminal charges against Americans so they can be traded for Russians held elsewhere or used as international bargaining chips. After a major prisoner exchange in August, Mr. Hubbard is one of 13 Americans now known to be held in Russian prisons. Mr. Hubbard is the oldest. He is also the only American known to be imprisoned in Russia after being taken from Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Only <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2024\/12\/28\/us\/politics\/marc-fogel-wrongfully-detained.html\" title=\"\">one<\/a> other American now being held has been publicly designated as wrongfully detained in Russia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard\u2019s family has not been able to find his prison. The Russian judge removed his case file, including even basic information like his lawyer\u2019s name, from public view. The New York Times also could not locate him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has not seen Mr. Hubbard, despite Russia\u2019s obligation to grant access, a State Department spokesman said. The embassy said it would not comment on his case because of privacy concerns.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Shyshko said he tried to ask the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv for help, but he could not get past the front door.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-4\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Patricia Hubbard Fox, 71, Mr. Hubbard\u2019s only sibling, said, \u201cIt\u2019s just really very upsetting,\u201d adding, \u201cAnd now they\u2019ve taken everything from him, even his glasses.\u201d <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-517b9b30\">A Quiet Life<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard had always been a solitary man. He liked his privacy. He didn\u2019t like email and social media. He was suspicious of government agencies that might be spying on internet posts and of what the government spent taxes on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">He and his sister grew up in Big Rapids, a very small Michigan city. Their single mother sometimes abused them. \u201cWe grew up at the end of a bullwhip,\u201d Ms. Hubbard Fox recalled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">As an adult, Mr. Hubbard always seemed to be searching: He enrolled in a Bible college in Tulsa, Okla., but lasted only a year. He married young, at 20.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard enlisted in the Air Force, but he left after three years of active duty and two in the National Guard, mainly in Sacramento, records show. He worked as an educational assistant with the local veterans affairs department and studied at a nearby business college. His marriage fell apart and Mr. Hubbard\u2019s wife won custody of their three children.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-5\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<div data-testid=\"imageblock-wrapper\">\n<figure class=\"img-sz-small css-1189og3 e1g7ppur0\" aria-label=\"media\" role=\"group\"><figcaption data-testid=\"photoviewer-children-caption\" class=\"css-13ytnnu ewdxa0s0\"><span class=\"css-jevhma e13ogyst0\">Mr. Hubbard in a high school graduation photo from 1970.<\/span><span class=\"css-14fe1uy e1z0qqy90\"><span class=\"css-1ly73wi e1tej78p0\">Credit&#8230;<\/span><span><span aria-hidden=\"false\">via Patricia Hubbard Fox<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard landed in Seattle, where he earned a master\u2019s degree in English and met the Japanese woman who became his second wife, Ms. Hubbard Fox said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In the mid-1980s, the couple moved to Japan, where Mr. Hubbard taught English and joined the Eastern Orthodox Church. The couple had a son before divorcing. After his son grew up, Mr. Hubbard moved to Cyprus, where a son from his first marriage lived and where he fell in love with another woman, Inna. She was Ukrainian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In 2014, they moved to Izium. When he needed money, he told his sister, he taught English online. He spoke no Ukrainian, no Russian.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Ms. Hubbard Fox said she last spoke to her brother on Skype in September 2021, as he sat down to eat some porridge.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-6\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">It\u2019s not clear whether the couple had separated or whether Inna was on vacation. But when the Russians invaded in February 2022, Mr. Hubbard was alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-7\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Weeks later, the Russians captured Izium. The following day, April 2, 2022, Mr. Hubbard was detained, the RIA Novosti state news agency later reported.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">The circumstances are murky. The Russian authorities said Mr. Hubbard had signed up that February \u2014 the month he turned 70 \u2014 for the regional territorial defense unit to defend Ukraine and received training, weapons, ammunition and $1,000 a month. They said he was arrested while manning <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/tass.ru\/proisshestviya\/22225991\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">military checkpoints<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">That was unlikely, said Alyona Hryban, a civil servant in Izium. She said the territorial defense unit had few weapons. No one was paid. \u201cThere were no old men there,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-8\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Shyshko recalled that Mr. Hubbard said he was detained at a checkpoint while fleeing.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cHe wanted to get out of there, but he couldn\u2019t,\u201d Mr. Shyshko said.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-3fc7f5b3\">\u2018He\u2019s Every American\u2019<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard\u2019s first detention camp was five miles over the Russian border. Andrii Stratulat, another prisoner of war, said the Russians gave Mr. Hubbard two English books: \u201cThe Egg and I,\u201d a 1945 memoir by a young wife on a chicken farm, and \u201cThe Lovely Bones,\u201d a 2002 novel about a young girl whose spirit comes to terms with her rape and murder. He read them over and over.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Stratulat, who spoke English, was put in Mr. Hubbard\u2019s tent in June 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cHe said that day he started to smile,\u201d recalled Mr. Stratulat, 30.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">They spent 42 days together, Mr. Stratulat said. Mr. Hubbard talked about his life: A trip he took to the Grand Canyon. His baptism into the Eastern Orthodox Church. His Japanese wife, Sumi. Their son, Hisashi. His partner, Inna.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Throughout his imprisonment, Mr. Stratulat would recite those names to himself: Hisashi. Sumi. Inna. When he was freed, he wanted to tell someone about the American he had met.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-9\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In late July 2022, Mr. Hubbard was transferred, Mr. Stratulat recalled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">A captured Ukrainian special forces officer with the call sign of Hacker met Mr. Hubbard in the Stary Oskol prison in Belgorod, about 80 miles northeast of the detention camp, in early September. After an interrogation that was more like torture, Hacker said, he was taken to a cell with Mr. Hubbard, who gave him water and prayed for him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cIt\u2019s the first time some guy, an old guy, a wise guy, prayed for me,\u201d said Hacker, 33, whom The Times is identifying by his military call sign because he is still fighting Russia.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Hacker said he met Mr. Hubbard again about a month later, in Novozybkov prison. For two months, they were housed in nearby cells. \u201cI heard everything that was happening to him,\u201d recalled Hacker, who was freed last spring.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Hubbard had problems with his kidneys, stomach and rectal tract, Hacker said. He was bleeding. The Russian guards beat him and forced him to learn Russian words, Russian poets, the Russian national anthem.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cThe soldiers, guards and special forces looked at him as an archenemy,\u201d Hacker said. \u201cBecause Stephen, he\u2019s the American. He\u2019s the American spider. He\u2019s the American from Michigan. He\u2019s every American.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-10\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Because Russian officials have disclosed no information about Mr. Hubbard, the former prisoners\u2019 accounts are impossible to verify. But they aligned with one another and with those of other Ukrainian prisoners of war.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In 2023, Mr. Hubbard was moved to a prison in Pakino, about 170 miles east of Moscow, where he shared a cell with Mr. Shyshko and 13 other men, Mr. Shyshko said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">There, prisoners were interrogated, often tortured, shocked with electricity, beaten and burned, Hacker and Mr. Shyshko said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">After the Russians found scabies on prisoners, they were all stripped and taken to a cold basement, where they were forced to walk naked in circles wearing only slippers for a month and a half, Mr. Shyshko said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Mr. Shyshko said the doctor told him \u201c\u2018the scabies mite can\u2019t reproduce in the cold, it\u2019ll die along with you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-11\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Lunch was often boiled water with a few cabbage leaves; dinner, leftovers from Russian inmates, blended together. Mr. Shyshko\u2019s weight dropped to less than 130 pounds from about 240.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cStephen, though, he never gave in,\u201d Mr. Shyshko said. \u201cHe kept telling us: \u2018These people aren\u2019t human. Don\u2019t lose hope.\u2019 He stood up to them and encouraged us to hold on.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">One day, Mr. Hubbard said he thought his sister might be looking for him.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"css-13o6u42 eoo0vm40\" id=\"link-1822f12\">A Prison Sentence<\/h2>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Ms. Hubbard Fox worried about her brother when the war started. But she couldn\u2019t reach him. Eventually she found out the Russians had him: She saw an interview on Russian TV in which he <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vesti.ru\/article\/2767078?fbclid=IwY2xjawHM1iBleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHXCVxT_65nCFzF33SKsmgTCnQ7E7M4IwiB_SaS-X5ldglOmrL1gY2Bn8_A_aem_c8ZUJ5uHlZHySOgfYv9aQA\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">echoed Russian talking points<\/a> \u2014 prisoners of war often are told what to say \u2014 and another video, posted briefly on X, where guards hit Mr. Hubbard with a sandal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">She said she tried to talk to the American authorities, but got little help. And she wasn\u2019t sure whom to call.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">In mid-May 2024, Mr. Hubbard disappeared from the prison in Pakino and later surfaced in court proceedings in Moscow. At one hearing, before the judge closed the trial to the public, RIA Novosti reported that Mr. Hubbard had pleaded guilty to being a mercenary, saying from the dock, \u201cYes, I agree with the indictment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<div data-testid=\"companionColumn-12\">\n<div class=\"css-53u6y8\">\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Early last October, Mr. Hubbard \u2014 <a class=\"css-yywogo\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/news\/world\/russian-court-jails-us-citizen-72-nearly-seven-years-ukraine-mercenary-rcna174236\" title=\"\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">bent over<\/a>, his hair and beard roughly chopped, his glasses gone \u2014 was sentenced to six years and 10 months in a prison colony.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">Ms. Hubbard Fox said she hoped President Trump could deal with the Russians. \u201cHe\u2019s a doer, and they know that he\u2019s not going to put up with their crap,\u201d Ms. Hubbard Fox said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">She said that seeing her brother beaten with a sandal reminded her of seeing him abused as a child. She plans to sell her home in Colorado and buy one in Oklahoma, so her brother can live with her when he gets out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-at9mc1 evys1bk0\">\u201cI love my home, but my brother\u2019s lost everything,\u201d she said. \u201cSo I\u2019m doing this. I\u2019m going to provide him a home.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"css-798hid etfikam0\">Reporting was contributed by Hisako Ueno from Tokyo; Dzvinka Pinchuk, Yurii Shyvala and Oleksandra Mykolyshyn from Kyiv; and Shawn Hubler from Sacramento. Susan Beachy contributed research.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"css-ew4tgv\" aria-label=\"companion column\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- ItShrt World News -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-6606220950177433\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"1882483372\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\r\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/02\/09\/world\/europe\/american-teacher-ukraine-russia-prison.html\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stephen James Hubbard left America behind decades ago, first for Japan, then Cyprus and finally Ukraine. He didn\u2019t like the<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4991,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[2115,146,2114,2116,189,852],"class_list":["post-4990","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world","tag-eastern-orthodox-church","tag-human-rights-and-human-rights-violations","tag-izium-ukraine","tag-prisoners-of-war","tag-prisons-and-prisoners","tag-russia"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Stephen James Hubbard left America behind decades ago, first for Japan, then Cyprus and finally Ukraine. He didn\u2019t like the\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"World News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"News\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"News\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"News\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2\"},\"headline\":\"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison.\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\"},\"wordCount\":1921,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Eastern Orthodox Church\",\"Human Rights and Human Rights Violations\",\"Izium (Ukraine)\",\"Prisoners of War\",\"Prisons and Prisoners\",\"Russia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"World\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\",\"name\":\"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1\",\"width\":1050,\"height\":550},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison.\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\",\"name\":\"World News\",\"description\":\"World News\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization\",\"name\":\"World News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png\",\"width\":581,\"height\":581,\"caption\":\"World News\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2\",\"name\":\"News\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News","og_description":"Stephen James Hubbard left America behind decades ago, first for Japan, then Cyprus and finally Ukraine. He didn\u2019t like the","og_url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/","og_site_name":"World News","article_published_time":"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"author":"News","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"News","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/"},"author":{"name":"News","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2"},"headline":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison.","datePublished":"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/"},"wordCount":1921,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1","keywords":["Eastern Orthodox Church","Human Rights and Human Rights Violations","Izium (Ukraine)","Prisoners of War","Prisons and Prisoners","Russia"],"articleSection":["World"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/","name":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison. - World News","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1","datePublished":"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00","dateModified":"2025-02-09T18:05:30+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1","width":1050,"height":550},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/an-american-teacher-went-to-ukraine-now-hes-in-a-russian-prison\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"An American Teacher Went to Ukraine. Now He\u2019s in a Russian Prison."}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#website","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/","name":"World News","description":"World News","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#organization","name":"World News","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/13\/2025\/01\/cropped-download.png","width":581,"height":581,"caption":"World News"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/#\/schema\/person\/1d8ae7348e048cb7984f26b4dd818ff2","name":"News","url":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/"}]}},"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1","medium":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1","medium_large":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=768&resize=768,0&ssl=1","large":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1024&resize=1024,1024&ssl=1","1536x1536":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1536&resize=1536,1536&ssl=1","2048x2048":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=2048&resize=2048,2048&ssl=1","colormag-highlighted-post":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=392&resize=392,272&ssl=1","colormag-featured-post-medium":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=390&resize=390,205&ssl=1","colormag-featured-post-small":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=130&resize=130,90&ssl=1","colormag-featured-image":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=800&resize=800,445&ssl=1","colormag-default-news":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1","colormag-featured-image-large":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1400&resize=1400,600&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-block-extra-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1155&resize=1155,480&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=600&resize=600,417&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-small-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=285&resize=285,450&ssl=1","colormag-elementor-grid-medium-large-thumbnail":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=575&resize=575,198&ssl=1"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"News","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e85cf08852547781a5f631f3713dbb5197ed4b54e32ae19c7d5769b8c8504897?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":false,"magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Stephen James Hubbard left America behind decades ago, first for Japan, then Cyprus and finally Ukraine. He didn\u2019t like the","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["World"],"magazineBlocksPostViewCount":33,"magazineBlocksPostReadTime":10,"magazine_blocks_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=1050&resize=1050,550&ssl=1",1050,550,false],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1",300,300,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/static01.nyt.com\/images\/2025\/02\/07\/multimedia\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb\/00ukraine-pow-01-hfjb-facebookJumbo.jpg?w=150&resize=150,150&ssl=1",150,150,false]},"magazine_blocks_author":{"display_name":"News","author_link":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/author\/admin\/"},"magazine_blocks_comment":0,"magazine_blocks_author_image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e85cf08852547781a5f631f3713dbb5197ed4b54e32ae19c7d5769b8c8504897?s=96&d=mm&r=g","magazine_blocks_category":"<a href=\"#\" class=\"category-link category-link-35\">World<\/a>","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4990","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4990"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4990\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4991"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4990"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4990"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/site.itshrt.com\/worldnews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4990"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}