Russian prosecutors are seeking seven years in prison for a US man accused of fighting for Ukraine

MOSCOW — Russian prosecutors have asked for a seven-year prison sentence in the trial of a U.S. citizen accused of fighting as a mercenary against Russia in Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported Saturday.

According to Interfax, prosecutors asked the court to take into account the age of 72-year-old Stephen Hubbard and said he had admitted his guilt. They demanded that Hubbard serve his sentence in a maximum-security penal colony.

In Russia, participation in mercenary activities is a criminal offense punishable by 7 to 15 years in prison.

Prosecutors accuse Hubbard of signing a contract with the Ukrainian military after Russia sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022, for which he was supposedly paid at least $1,000.

He reportedly underwent training, received a personal firearm, and fought as a mercenary in the Ukrainian military until he was arrested by the Russian military in April 2022.

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow told The Associated Press that it was “aware of reports of the arrest of an American citizen” but could not comment further “due to privacy restrictions.”

Russian courts convict more than 99% of defendants, and prosecutors can appeal sentences they consider too lenient.

Arrests of Americans have become increasingly common in Russia in recent years. There are concerns that Russia could target U.S. nationals to later use them as bargaining chips in talks over the repatriation of Russians convicted of crimes in the U.S. and Europe.

In August, the United States and Russia completed their largest prisoner exchange in post-Soviet history. It was a deal involving 24 people, months of negotiations and concessions from other European countries that released Russians in their custody as part of the exchange. Several US citizens remain behind bars after the exchange in Russia.