Russian court sentences 72-year-old American to nearly 7 years in prison for fighting in Ukraine 

MOSCOW — 

A Russian tribunal connected Monday sentenced a 72-year-old American successful a closed proceedings to astir 7 years successful situation for allegedly warring arsenic a mercenary successful Ukraine.

Prosecutors said Stephen Hubbard signed a declaration with the Ukrainian subject aft Russia sent troops into Ukraine successful February 2022 and helium fought alongside them until being captured 2 months later.

He was sentenced to six years and 10 months successful a general-security prison. Prosecutors had called for a condemnation of 7 years successful a maximum-security prison.

Hubbard, from the authorities of Michigan, is the archetypal American known to person been convicted connected charges of warring arsenic a mercenary successful the Ukrainian conflict.

The charges carried a imaginable condemnation of 15 years, but prosecutors asked that his property beryllium taken into relationship on with his admittance of guilt, Russian quality reports said.

Arrests of Americans person go progressively communal successful Russia successful caller years. Concern has risen that Russia could beryllium targeting U.S. nationals for apprehension to usage aboriginal arsenic bargaining chips successful talks to bring backmost Russians convicted of crimes successful the U.S. and Europe.

Also connected Monday, a tribunal successful the metropolis of Voronezh sentenced American Robert Gilman to 7 years and 1 period for allegedly assaulting instrumentality enforcement officers portion serving a condemnation for different assault.

According to Russian quality reports, Gilman was arrested successful 2022 for causing a disturbance portion intoxicated connected a rider bid and past assaulted a constabulary serviceman portion successful custody. He is serving a 3 1/2-year condemnation connected that charge.

Last year, helium assaulted a situation inspector during a compartment check, past deed an authoritative of the Investigative Committee, resulting successful the caller sentence, authorities quality bureau RIA-Novosti said.

The U.S. and Russia successful August completed their largest captive swap successful post-Soviet history, a woody involving 24 people, galore months of negotiations and concessions from different European countries, which released Russians successful their custody arsenic portion of the exchange. Several U.S. citizens stay down bars successful Russia pursuing the swap.