Russian Custody: Ex-cellmates describe 54 months of beatings and neglect

Stephen Hubbard, 74, spent 54 months in Russian custody before his release on October 23. Two former cellmates, Dmytro Khyliuk and Ihor Shyshko, say they witnessed guards beat the American veteran and deny him basic necessities during that period. Both men were imprisoned with Hubbard at the Novozybkov prison in Bryansk, near the Ukrainian border, where they first encountered him in September 2022.

Khyliuk, a journalist, stated that staff singled out Hubbard immediately. He recalled guards asking during inspections which cell contained the American, using obscene language, and threatening him from the start. Shyshko, a captured Ukrainian soldier, added that officers forced Hubbard to learn Russian, sing the national anthem, and recite prison rules he could not read. Shyshko said he saw guards strike Hubbard on the legs, back, and arms, and heard the veteran describe being shocked with a stun gun. The soldiers also reported that Hubbard was subjected to sexual humiliation for the amusement of prison staff.

The men described the physical conditions at Novozyzkov as severe, noting broken windows and bitter cold. Detainees often huddled in bathrooms to stay warm during outdoor exercise. Khyliuk observed Hubbard's health decline while they shared adjacent cells, hearing the veteran complain and noting frequent visits to the prison doctor. The two Ukrainians were held with Hubbard while he awaited trial after his conviction in Moscow for serving in Ukraine's armed forces. They were transferred together to the Pakino prison, where Shyshko said Hubbard's condition worsened significantly.

At Pakino, Shyshko described Hubbard's knees and feet as rotting. He bandaged the veteran at the medical center after a doctor refused to do so, stating that Hubbard was too weak to move properly. The prisoners ate a daily diet of porridge, bread, and potatoes while enduring a routine of beatings, forced running, and stress positions. Shyshko also reported that a handler set a dog on prisoners to bite them.

Khyliuk claimed that shortly after the transfer to Pakino, prison staff hid Hubbard to conceal his condition from International Red Cross visitors. He said the staff showed the visitors only what they wanted to see. The International Committee of the Red Cross responded that it asks to see every individual when granted access and continues talks with conflict parties on the issue. Khyliuk said Hubbard disappeared from the prison in 2024, leading him to assume the veteran had been released. Khyliuk himself returned to Ukraine in August 2025 via a prisoner exchange.

The Kremlin released Hubbard on the same day US special envoy Steve Witkoff met President Vladimir Putin in St Petersburg. Witkoff described Putin as a humanitarian. President Donald Trump stated he asked Putin to free Hubbard during a phone call the previous week. Khyliuk described the timing as shameful public relations for the US president. Shyshko expressed hope that the perpetrators would face justice, stating that evil must be punished.