Freed American Returns as Fox Veteran Slams Envoy’s Putin Praise

WHO:

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Stephen Hubbard is a 74-year-old Michigan native and retired schoolteacher who was detained in Ukraine by Russian forces and imprisoned in Russia.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard’s son, friar Joseph Coleman, spoke with him by phone before Hubbard departed from St. Petersburg; Coleman said Hubbard sounded better than he had in their previous conversation.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - President Trump announced Hubbard’s return and said he expected Hubbard to visit the White House “in the next day or so.”

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and called him a “humanitarian,” saying, “I salute that.”

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - CBS News national security analyst Elliot Ackerman said Hubbard’s release appeared connected to short-term Trump administration interests and described it as part of a broader pattern of actions he said were counter to Ukraine’s interests.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Olivia Gazis and Jennifer Jacobs contributed to the report.

[America Reports] - Alternet - Fox News chief political analyst Brit Hume called Witkoff’s praise of Putin “absurd.” Hume said, “The guy's a war criminal, for God's sake, and he's rained down bombs on civilians without regard to human life.”

[America Reports] - Alternet - Host John Roberts characterized Witkoff’s remarks as diplomatic flattery; Hume acknowledged that possibility.

[America Reports] - Alternet - North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis called Witkoff’s praise “embarrassing and outrageous.” Texas Sen. John Cornyn called Putin a “stone-cold killer.”

[America Reports] - Alternet - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was described as willing to freeze current battle lines as a possible starting point for peace talks.

WHAT:

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard returned to the United States after more than four years imprisoned in Russia; the U.S. government had deemed him wrongfully detained.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Trump said Putin agreed to release Hubbard at his request, with “no ‘swap’ necessary.” Trump also said Hubbard would not have been released if the White House had not halted new Russia sanctions passed by Congress from taking effect.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard was sentenced to almost seven years in a penal colony after being accused of fighting for Ukraine; his family disputed the charges.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Russia launched 21 missiles at Kyiv and struck nearly half of Ukraine’s regions.

[America Reports] - Alternet - Russian authorities accused Hubbard of serving as a Ukrainian mercenary; he denied the allegations.

[America Reports] - Alternet - Hume said Trump’s stated rationale for pausing Russia sanctions was that “you don’t punish people you’re trying to strike a deal with.” Hume added, “Maybe you flatter him.”

[America Reports] - Alternet - Hume said Putin’s response was needed on Zelensky’s proposal and noted that Putin had rejected earlier proposals to stop the fighting.

WHERE:

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard landed in the United States and was in San Antonio for a medical evaluation; he had departed from St. Petersburg.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard’s release was announced during Witkoff’s meeting with Putin.

[America Reports] - Alternet - Witkoff praised Putin during peace talks in St. Petersburg; Hubbard was detained in Ukraine.

WHEN:

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard was captured in Ukraine in 2022, after Russia launched its full-scale invasion.

[9:18 AM EDT] - CBS News - Hubbard’s imprisonment lasted more than four years; Coleman’s prior conversation with him was in May 2025.

[America Reports] - Alternet - Hubbard was detained in 2022, when he was 70, and spent more than four years in Russian custody.

(UPDATED October 22, 2026 14:11 UTC)

Stephen Hubbard, a 74-year-old retired Michigan schoolteacher, has returned to the United States after more than four years imprisoned in Russia. Russian forces detained him in Ukraine in 2022, and he was sentenced to nearly seven years after being accused of fighting for Ukraine, a charge his family disputed. Hubbard is in San Antonio for a medical evaluation. His son, friar Joseph Coleman, said Hubbard sounded better than during their previous phone call. President Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to release Hubbard at his request, without a prisoner swap, and suggested the release was linked to pausing new Russia sanctions. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff praised Putin as a “humanitarian” during peace talks in St. Petersburg. That drew criticism from Fox analyst Brit Hume and Republican senators, who called the praise absurd, embarrassing and outrageous. Russia also launched 21 missiles at Kyiv and struck nearly half of Ukraine’s regions.